Rangers boss issues coy response to Jamie Vardy transfer link after Leicester City stalwart misses out on overseas move
The veteran striker has been tipped for a move to Ibrox after ending his long association with the Foxes at the end of last season
Russell Martin has refused to be drawn on transfer speculation linking Rangers with a move for former Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy.
The 38-year-old hitman, who saw a move to Italian side Genoa collapse over the weekend, has been strongly tipped for a switch to Ibrox this summer after leaving the Foxes at the end of last season.
Gers boss Martin offered a diplomatic answer as he refused to dismiss the prospect that free agent Vardy was a target, when asked about the link following his side’s 2-2 pre-season friendly draw at home to Club Brugge on Sunday.
“I think I’ve been asked about so many players,” he said. “Some miles away, some on the money. So basically, I’m not going to give you an answer on that. But I guess you’ll find out who’s real and who’s not in the next few weeks.
“I do expect the team to look different again in a week’s time. But in a couple of weeks, so much can happen in football, so I don’t know. I think we definitely want to do more, for sure. And also, probably some players need to move on as well at some point as the squad’s going to start looking very big and very heavy.”
Reports in Italy claimed the veteran frontman was ‘very close’ to joining the Serie A outfit, but it was alleged that boss Patrick Viera personally intervened to extinguish a potential deal as he wasn’t convinced signing Vardy was the right move for his club. Those allegations have since been strenuously denied.
It’s still expected the 26-capped England international will have plenty of suitors with EFL Championship new boys Wrexham among the interested parties.
Former Rangers fan favourite Kris Boyd previously poured cold water on the possibility of Vardy heading north of the border.
He stated: “When you look at Jamie Vardy’s career, it’s been outstanding. Even if you’re not a Leicester City fan or a Jamie Vardy fan, you look at the emotion and the way the game finished at the weekend where he got a goal at his last game at the King Power Stadium, he’s had a fantastic career from where he come from and what he has done.
“I would be surprised if he doesn’t want to stay closer to home as such because he has been there for a period of time and there have been links with him moving to Wrexham. When you think of players like Jermaine Defoe who finished his career in Scotland and done really well there, Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart have also come and done well for Celtic. When you look at strikers who score goals, there is an opportunity for them to come to Scotland and score goals.
“If that is something Rangers want to pursuit then I am sure Vardy would be a fantastic addition to the Rangers squad but I’m not sure that it will be something Rangers will look to do. I think for where they are right now, Rangers need to be looking at building a team that is one for the future. That said, you do need experience and if Jamie Vardy is that man to help Rangers then of course he would be a fantastic addition because he still has a lot to offer.”