Surprise English team now favorite to sign Cremonese star Jamie Vardy as new club odds come in
Jamie Vardy looks set to join a surprising English club after Cremonese was relegated to Serie B on Sunday. Cremonese needed a win against Como on the last day and for Lecce to lose to Genoa to stay in Serie A, but neither happened. Lecce won 1-0 at home, securing their spot in Italy’s top league for another year.
It was a tough day for Cremonese—they lost 4-1 at home and had three players sent off in just one minute during the second half. Fans were upset about a penalty given to Como in the 71st minute, while Milan Djuric, Alberto Grassi, and David Okereke all received straight red cards. Cremonese finished the match with nine players, as Djuric was warming up but hadn’t come on yet. They were already behind 2-1 when these decisions were made, and Lucas Da Cunha scored the penalty and later added another goal.
Vardy couldn’t help keep his new club in Serie A after moving from Leicester this summer, but he still made an impact with seven goals in 29 games. He scored important goals in wins over Udinese and Pisa, giving Cremonese hope, but it wasn’t enough. Vardy signed a one-year deal with an option for another year, but according to Fabrizio Romano, he won’t be playing in Serie B and will leave as a free agent.
Speaking to SPORTbible recently, Vardy said he doesn’t plan to retire soon. “While my legs are still saying they’re fine, I’ll carry on,” he said. “But there will come a time when the legs say ‘this ain’t happening anymore’ and that’s when I definitely need to call it quits.”
So, where might Vardy end up next? BettingLounge has made Sheffield Wednesday the top favorite at 8/13 to sign him. Vardy was born in Sheffield and was with Wednesday as a teenager but was released at 16 without playing professionally. Wednesday will be in League One next season after a tough year where they faced administration and point deductions, winning only two games under manager Henrik Pedersen.
The club was recently sold to US-based Arise Capital Partners LLC, freeing them to spend in the transfer market. They will need to follow EFL rules on spending, but Vardy would be a big signing to kick off the new ownership’s plans.
Vardy is also priced at even money to make a fairytale return to Leicester, who are also in League One after being relegated from the Championship. Other options include Rangers (2/1), managed by former Wednesday boss Danny Rohl; Celtic (11/4); and Wrexham (8/1), who finished seventh in the Championship this season and mix young talent with experienced players.
Last summer, Vardy was linked with Wrexham, but it’s unclear how serious that was. There’s also a slim chance he could return to the Premier League with Ipswich or Hull at 28/1.
Here’s a quick look at the odds for Vardy’s next club:
– Sheffield Wednesday: 8/13
– Leicester City: Even
– Rangers: 2/1
– Celtic: 11/4
– Wrexham: 8/1
– West Ham: 10/1
– Birmingham: 12/1
– Millwall: 14/1
– Burnley: 16/1
– Hearts: 18/1
– Ipswich: 28/1
– Hull: 28/1
– West Brom: 33/1
It’ll be interesting to see where Vardy goes next!