Former Portsmouth boss names 'fantastic' player Championship clubs with ambition must move ‘heaven and earth’ to sign this summer
Former Pompey boss Harry Redknapp is adamant Championship teams should move ‘heaven and earth’ to sign Jamie Vardy this summer.
The Leicester City striker is on the search for a new club after he announced he’ll leave the King Power Stadium following the Foxes’ relegation from the Premier League.
The 38-year-old has spent a historic 12-year spell with the club, which included a top-flight title during the 2015-16 season.
After his £1m arrival from Fleetwood in 2012, Vardy has scored 198 goals in 497 appearances during his 13 campaigns with Leicester.
The Premier League winner has netted eight times in 33 outings in all competitions for the Foxes this term, but his goal return wasn’t enough as the Foxes made an immediate return to the Championship after just one season in the top flight.
Following their relegation, the 26-cap England international announced he would depart the King Power Stadium this summer following the conclusion of his current deal.
Vardy has already been linked with a number of clubs - including newly promoted Wrexham, as well as boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday.
Although the striker isn’t believed to be keen on a Championship move, that shouldn’t stop any second-tier club from looking to strike a deal for the prolific goalscorer, according to Redknapp.
After being linked with Wrexham, the former Pompey boss told BetVictor: ‘Jamie Vardy would be a fantastic signing for Wrexham. He could get any team promoted next season from the Championship, I still think he has a lot to offer in a team that can make chances for him. It would be a great move for Wrexham.
‘I don’t think he will be on the radar of Premier League clubs, but that said, I think he’s fantastic. His work rate and everything about him is brilliant, if I was in the Championship I’d be moving heaven and earth to sign him.
‘He would be a great value signing for any club, it’s a no-brainer in my eyes - he gives everything and works so hard.
‘I’d have him any day if I was managing a club who were trying to get promoted from the Championship, even a team like Burnley who have been promoted, his goals could help them stay up.’
John Mousinho outlines Pompey’s summer recruitment plans
The head coach has made it clear he wants to strengthen his squad in the transfer window by adding additional quality which will improve his side.
He told The News: We always want to be smart and we don’t want to waste money. We want to get to a position where we always have value in the squad.
‘That might have been easier if we’d stayed in League One for a few years, but that’s not what we wanted to do so we got into the Championship. So then we had a mix of building value in the squad and bringing in players for the short term.
‘But there is that alignment in terms of what we’re trying to achieve and the summer’s a good opportunity to do that again and bring players who can improve us.’