Jamie Vardy makes feelings clear about potential Sheffield Wednesday return
Jamie Vardy’s availability this summer has had Sheffield Wednesday fans hoping of a return to the club he was released from as a boy
The romantic notion of a return to Sheffield Wednesday for Jamie Vardy has been a feature of this summer’s transfer window.
On the face of it, it makes sense.
Sheffield-born Vardy is available again having returned to England following a season in Italy with Cremonese. And there’s always been a hope that one day the former England striker would go back to where it all began and join Wednesday again - the team that released him when he was 16.
There’s been a great deal of water under the bridge since then, with Vardy embarking on a remarkable footballing journey having gone from non-league Stocksbridge Park Steels to winning the Premier League with Leicester City and playing for England at the European Championships and the World Cup.
For some people, a move back to Hillsborough almost seemed inevitable. Vardy is at the back end of his career at the age of 39 and as a fan of the Owls many felt he would want to play there before he hangs up his boots. The fact that Wednesday have dropped down a division and are engulfed in positivity following the takeover by Arise at the tail end of last season only seemed to add to the belief that we would be seeing Vardy in the blue and white stripes.
However, according to the man himself, it’s not looking very likely to happen.
In the latest episode of his podcast, Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party the striker played down any notion of any chance of a return to S6.
When asked about the possibility of it happening, Vardy replied: “In short, no. It's one of them things, I've always said that once I was let go then that chapter was kind of...shut. That's just me, that's how I am. It wasn't meant to be so it's never meant to be, kind of thing.”
Podcast presenter Manish Bhasin probed further, adding, “It almost feels like a nice full circle potential right, having been released as a kid and they're in League One?”
“I just can’t see it happening, to be honest,” replied Vardy.
Guesting on the show was former team mate of Vardy, David Nugent who interjected, saying, “ I can. I think I can because they've had the takeover, all the fans are back onside, there's a feel-good factor.”
Nugent joked: “ For me he's got two options, he either signs for Sheffield Wednesday or comes and signs for Anstey Nomads (where Nugent is a player coach).”
Wednesday began their transfer business at the end of last week with the signing of Ricardo Santos from Swansea and they look set to bring back Barry Bannan, with the Owls legend’s return to Hillsborogh looking likely to happen in the coming days, as reported by The Star.