Thank you Jamie Vardy, from Arsenal fans everywhere

It is June 2016, Leicester City have just won the Premier League and Jamie Vardy’s non-league to Premier League love story got it’s perfect ending.

Arsenal, in need of a striker as they are too often these days, trigger the release clause in the newly called up England international’s contract.

“Can’t wait till we get Vardy!” said one fan. “Signing of the summer.” said another.

Vardy turned down the deal, opting to instead commit his future to the club with whom he achieved footballing immortality.

Thank god he did.

I mean that with the least disrespect to Jamie Vardy at all. The Englishman reverses all the plaudits he gets, and his journey from the depths of anonymity to Leicester City hero is a notable achievement. Running in behind, Vardy remains a dangerous player, and under Craig Shakespeare at Leicester he looks a player re-born again. 16 goals in all competitions last season is a fine return, especially considering the difficulties the Foxes faced in the early half of the campaign.

However, aside from that, where would Arsenal be if they had indeed completed the signing of Vardy last summer? The answer, is likely not one you would want to hear.

The Gunners are extremely close to completing the signing of Alexandre Lacazette, the French hitman who scored 60 goals in the past two seasons for Lyon, a move that would no way have been plausible should the club have forked out the money for Vardy last summer.

Lacazette is a class above Vardy, and is a signing that points the club in at the very least the right direction. A world class forward with a proven track record of scoring goals year after year after year. A international in arguably the strongest side in world football.

So thank you Jamie Vardy, for turning down Arsenal. We couldn’t imagine life with you.