Jamie Vardy is preparing to swap life in Leicester for Lombardy, with the former England striker set to fly to Milan this evening before completing a move to Serie A side Cremonese.
The 38-year-old, who left Leicester City at the end of last season after more than a decade of service, is a free agent and had no shortage of suitors.
Napoli, Celtic, Everton and Dutch giants Feyenoord all expressed interest, but Vardy has been swayed by Cremonese’s ambitious project after their stunning start to the new campaign.
The club, based in Cremona in northern Italy, sit second in the Serie A table after two victories in their opening two games, including a shock win over AC Milan.
Jamie Vardy is preparing to swap life in Leicester for Lombardy, with the former England striker set to fly to Milan this evening before completing a move to Serie A side Cremonese
|GETTY
They are also closing in on Brighton winger Jeremy Sarmiento, underlining their intent to become more than just survival candidates this season.
Vardy is expected to sign a one-year contract with the option of a further season.
Dutch champions Feyenoord, managed by Robin van Persie, had been prepared to make him the highest-paid player in their history, but crucially only on a single-year deal.
For Vardy, the stability and the lure of Serie A proved decisive.
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The move represents a dramatic lifestyle change for both Vardy and his family.
For over a decade he and wife Rebekah have been rooted in the Midlands, raising their five children near Leicester, where Jamie became a club legend after firing the Foxes to their remarkable 2016 Premier League title.
Life in Cremona, a city known for its Renaissance architecture and musical heritage, will be a far cry from the relative quiet of rural Leicestershire.
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Jamie Vardy scored 200 goals for Leicester during his time at the King Power Stadium
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Rebekah Vardy will now balance life in the Italian spotlight, where Serie A’s scrutiny of players and their families can be intense.
The Vardys are considering relocating to Lombardy full-time, a move that would involve their children adapting to new schools and a very different pace of life.
Jamie, meanwhile, faces the challenge of adjusting to a league famed for tactical rigour and defensive organisation.
His electric pace and sharp finishing made him a nightmare for Premier League defenders, but at 38, his role in Cremonese’s system may demand clever positioning and experience rather than raw speed.
The transfer also signals Vardy’s determination to extend his career beyond Leicester, where he scored 200 goals in 500 appearances and became one of the most iconic forwards in English football.
In addition to their Premier League triumph in 2016, he also helped them win the FA Cup in 2021.
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Jamie Vardy fired Leicester to Premier League title glory back in 2016 | GETTYHis final year at the club saw the Foxes relegated, however, after a dire campaign under Steve Cooper and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Barring any last-minute twists, Vardy will be unveiled this week in Cremona.
How he fares abroad is something only time will tell.