2 EFL clubs will hate Jamie Vardy to West Ham talk | OneFootball

West Ham have been linked with a move for Jamie Vardy, and two clubs in the EFL won't be happy if that move comes to fruition

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Declan is a football writer and podcaster who has worked in the media industry since 2021.

Declan has a Masters degree in Sports Journalism earned in 2020 from the National University of Ireland, Galway, where he is from.

Declan joined Football League World in 2021 and has covered all things EFL during that time.

Declan previously worked on the Total Football podcast, and currently writes a weekly newsletter on Formula 1 that can be found at declanharte.substack.com.

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Jamie Vardy is on West Ham’s shortlist as a potential signing this summer following his exit from Cremonese.

The 39-year-old has emerged as a possible option for the Hammers after their relegation to the Championship.

The striker is currently a free agent due to the expiration of his contract with the Italian club, who suffered relegation from Serie A last season.

Vardy contributed seven goals and two assists from 29 appearances in the top flight, but it wasn’t enough to keep the club in the division.

Now he could make a return to English football just 12 months on from his exit from Leicester City.

Here we look at two clubs who would absolutely hate it if West Ham signed the former England international…

Leicester City

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Vardy spent 13 years with Leicester before departing last summer at the end of his contract and after the club were relegated to the Championship.

The forward cemented himself as one of the Foxes’ greatest ever players, leading the team to a Premier League and FA Cup triumph during his time at the King Power Stadium.

The 39-year-old also led Leicester to two Premier League promotions, and was a talisman up front during some of the best years in their history.

His departure in 2025 saw a big celebration of his career ahead of his move to Italian football.

But it would now hurt to see him return to England with a club like West Ham, particularly with the London outfit now in the second tier.

Vardy wasn’t willing to spend another year of his career at Leicester in the Championship, so it would sting to see him competing at that level under Nuno Espírito Santo.

The only saving grace for Leicester would be that their relegation to League One means that it would only take a cup draw to end up with Vardy playing against them.

Sheffield Wednesday

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Sheffield Wednesday have been linked with a potential move for Vardy given he is a boyhood fan of the club.

It would be an ambitious swoop for the forward given they are now in League One and under new ownership.

The Owls are in the process of rebuilding their first team squad, and will want to compete for promotion to the Championship as quickly as possible.

But a dream move for Henrik Pedersen’s side would be to bring Vardy to Hillsborough for the upcoming campaign.

However, the Yorkshire outfit would struggle to contend with West Ham for the signing of the former Leicester player.

The financial capability of both clubs is incomparable at this stage, and the Hammers have a clear pathway back to the Premier League, as they should be in the mix for automatic promotion this year.

It would be a no-brainer decision for Vardy, if he was choosing his next club based on their competitive level and their ability to pay him well.

While a move for the striker was always going to be tough, it would hurt to see him come back to English football and a move to Sheffield Wednesday not come to fruition.