Skip to main content

Bang For Buck - Is Jamie Vardy The Greatest Striker Transfer in Football History?

Since 2015, Premier League teams have spent over £6.6 billion in gross transfer fees and it's fair to say that not every one of those transfers has turned out great. Nicolas Pepe was sold to Arsenal in 2019 for a club-record £72 million and has only scored on 9 occasions in 47 appearances. Danny Drinkwater signed for Chelsea in 2017 for £34.1 million after being a regular starter for Leicester Cities Premier League winning side the year prior. In his very short time at Chelsea, the Englishman made 12 appearances over 2 years and contributed a single goal. Thankfully, not all Premier League transfers have made such disastrous headlines and at the very top of those successful few is Leicester front-man Jamie Vardy. 

Originally bought from non-league side Fleetwood Town for £1 million, Vardy made his Premier League debut with Leicester after contributing to their promotion in 2014. What followed could only be described as a footballing miracle. 

As well as being one of the main driving forces behind Leicesters 5000-to-1 capture of the Premier League title in 2016, Vardy has scored 115 goals in 231 appearances for the Foxes; a conversion rate of over 50%. This performance has propelled Vardy to numerous Premier League awards including the 2019/2020 Golden Boot, Player of the Season for 2015/2016, and a place on the England squad for the 2016 Euro's and 2018 World Cup. 

It's a great rag to riches story and one that has made Jamie Vardy a player that is beloved by Leicester and England fans alike. But in terms of 'Bang for Buck,' I don't think there is a player in professional football that provides the same results for such a low price tag. The only men that come close in terms of delivery from the striker position are Robin Van Persie and Eric Cantona, both of which were bought by big-name clubs in Arsenal and Manchester United before the time of inflated player prices and supposedly superior talent of today's Premier League.  

In today's billionaire filled transfer market, there are not many gems that go unnoticed and clubs will usually dish out for so-called young stars like Timo Werner and Kai Havertz. But in the case of Jamie Vardy and Leicester, not only did he produce an immediate impact for Leicester but laid the foundations for the Foxes who have blossomed into a true 'Big Six' side, overtaking the likes of Arsenal and Everton and challenging for the title once again in 2021. 



 


Labels:

Comments

  1. Godderzz99February 15, 2021 at 4:25 PM

    Although he was sold for £130m mbappe went to Monaco on a free transfer and within two seasons won them a league title, I do however agree Vardy is the best in English football

    ReplyDelete
  2. Stevo 57February 18, 2021 at 7:58 AM

    Straight out of the bargain basement !!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Greatest Rivals - John Stockton vs Magic Johnson

Welcome to Greatest Rivals! Each Wednesday, this page will pitch two great rivals against each other to finally find out who the real winner is! Over the coming weeks, this page will cover many great rivalries, from the glory of el Clasico to the back and forth action of some of Wimbledon's finest performers.  Wednesday 10th March - John Stockton vs Magic Johnson  As point guards go, John Stockton and Magic Johnson are poles apart. Stockton is the epitome of what a point guard should be; the ever-running engine that is an extension of a coaches vision. On the other hand, Magic is ultimately the most diverged the point guard position has ever become. At 6'9", he produced entire highlight reels that other point guards couldn't even replicate on the latest 2K. Despite their differences, each player produced a career worthy of the Hall of Fame, but when put head to head, who comes out on top?  John Stockton is at the very top of a long list of Hall of Famers that didn'...
1 comment
Read more

Extending the Possible - The Introduction of the 4-point line in the NBA

Since 1951, the NBA has undergone many era-defining changes. Through the evolution of its players, we have seen greatly different play styles ranging from the overly physical approach of the '80s and '90s to the rise of small ball. Remarkably, since the introduction of the 3-point line in 1979, no significant change has been made to the NBA that has made such a notable difference in how the game of basketball is played. So what's next? Well, with the likes of Steph Curry, Trae Young and Damian Lillard extending the limits of shooting ability with every passing season, something new is on the horizon; the introduction of the 4-point line. Since it's an introduction in 2018, the discussion over the addition of a 4-point line in the NBA is something that has been highly controversial. It is no question that the 3-point shot is at the centre of every NBA coaches gameplan in 2021 and is a tool that, if used effectively, can be the very difference between winning and losing a...
1 comment
Read more

Time’s Up For Arteta - Conte or Zidane To Follow?

The position of manager at Arsenal has been a cursed one ever since Arsene Wenger’s retirement. Those who have followed the great Frenchman have seen nothing but mediocre performances and mid table finishes behind the likes of West Ham. Despite initial excitement, the addition of Mikel Arteta hasn’t brought any additional glory to London’s north end and has managed only two 8th place finishes and a FA cup trophy. Now for a mid-table team this would be acceptable, but for a side who is supposedly within the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’, it hardly stands up against the achievements of Arsenal’s rival clubs. The need for change is severe, but the next manager to run through the gauntlet will certainly have their hands full.  As of now, there are two big name managers on the market, Antonio Conte and Zinedine Zidane. Both men have had great success in their managerial careers, combining for 15 trophies between them, but in terms of style and philosophy they couldn’t be more different....
Post a Comment
Read more