Jamie Vardy’s name has returned to the headlines this summer as the veteran striker considers where he will play next.

The 39-year-old has stated that he would leave Cremonese after the club was relegated from Serie A, having scored seven goals and provided two assists in 29 league appearances in Lombardy.

He joined the Italian club on a free transfer in September 2025, after his 13-year contract with Leicester City expired.

However, all those years ago, he was on the verge of signing for Cardiff City rather than the Foxes.

Jamie Vardy rejected a £1 million transfer to Cardiff City.

Cardiff City were in the mix when Jamie Vardy began to attract Football League attention in the summer of 2012, while playing for Fleetwood Town in the Conference Premier.

The Bluebirds, then a Championship club coming off a play-off semi-final defeat to West Ham under manager Malky Mackay, made a reputed £1 million approach for Vardy’s services.

It was accepted, but Vardy ultimately turned down the Welsh club to join Leicester, who had previously rejected an offer in January.

Vardy stated to BBC Radio Leicester that he chose to join the East Midlands team after meeting with Nigel Pearson.Obviously, the fact that the management wanted me made the decision easy. He claimed he’d been watching me for a long time; obviously, if I got his attention, I must have been doing something good.”

Pearson had previously played for Vardy’s boyhood side Sheffield Wednesday, who are apparently interested in signing him now, so it was likely an easy decision for the striker.

However, blaming Mackay exclusively for Cardiff’s failure to recruit Vardy would be unjust. According to one Cardiff supporter on a fan forum, the bid for Vardy coincided with Vincent Tan’s contentious rebranding, which involved changing the club’s primary colour to red.

Vincent Tan must be plagued by Jamie Vardy’s decision at Leicester City.

Vardy went on to score 200 goals in 500 games for Leicester, and he undoubtedly contributed significantly to the club’s Premier League and FA Cup victories.

In addition to that, he broke the top-flight’s straight scoring record and represented England 26 times.

Vardy’s Netflix documentary will be released in May 2026. When asked if any Non-League player could ever replicate his feats, he responded, “I think, luckily, I was just a bit of a freak.”I doubt it will happen again, but it did for me, and it was hard work. It was incredibly difficult, but it was all worthwhile.”

Yes, Cardiff won the Championship the next season under Mackay, but they only lasted one season in the Premier League before their decline began.

It’s all ifs, buts, and maybes, but Vincent Tan must be plagued by Vardy’s decision to reject the Bluebirds.

On the financial front, it was claimed that the Foxes made a record income of £129 million during the title-winning 2015/16 season. may you image what Cardiff may have done if Vardy had played for them instead?

As previously reported, Sheffield Wednesday are now believed to have discussed the potential of signing him, however it remains to be seen exactly where he wants to go.