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Jamie Vardy makes decision on returning to Leicester City and confirms retirement plan
Jun 10 2026 12:18 · By Kieran King/Senior Sports Writer · 13 Reads
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Jamie Vardy has confirmed he will NOT return to Leicester City this summer. The 39-year-old, who won the Premier League and FA Cup during his 13 years at the King Power Stadium, left the Foxes in 2025 and spent last season at Serie A side Cremonese.
Despite scoring seven goals and providing three assists in 29 matches for Cremonese, he was unable to help them avoid relegation to Serie B - and therefore his contract is not expected to be extended.
It is due to leave Vardy as a free agent going into the summer transfer window and speculation has emerged that he could return to Leicester for a second spell, following their relegation to League One.
But Vardy, who scored 200 goals in 500 matches during a successful, trophy-laden first stint at the King Power, has shut down those rumours and said his time at the Foxes is OVER now.
On the first episode of his new podcast 'Jamie Vardy's Having A Party', he was asked by presenter and City fan Manish Bhasin if he would consider returning for a "homecoming" at Leicester. Vardy replied: "Nah that's gone. I'll always support them and follow them, that's the best thing I can do now."
Alongside talk that he could return to Leicester, there had been a feeling that Vardy might decide to retire from football and call it a day after more than 15 years as a professional.
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But Vardy has revealed he has no plans to hand up his boots for the 2026/27 season. "No, I'm not going to give up playing just yet but it's something more for later down the line," he added.
Leicester were relegated to League One back in April following a disastrous Championship season. The Foxes finished down in 23rd, five points from safety after winning just 12 of their 46 second-tier matches.
Delivering his verdict on Leicester's THIRD relegation in four years, club legend Vardy told talkSPORT on Tuesday: "I was obviously devoed [devastated] with how the season finished.
"I've been watching as many games as I can while I've been in Italy. Gutted for them but I know deep down, as a Leicester fan now myself, that they can bounce back."
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