Big Jamie Vardy development hands Sheffield Wednesday & Leicester City transfer boost | OneFootball

Jamie Vardy is now a free agent after Cremonese were relegated from Serie A on Sunday

Jamie Vardy looks set to become a free agent, after his debut campaign at Serie A side Cremonese ended in relegation.

The 39-year-old departed Leicester City last summer after a legendary 13-year stint at the King Power Stadium, in which he scored 200 goals in 500 games, and led the line throughout their extraordinary Premier League-winning season a decade ago.

His next destination was in Italy, as he signed a one-year deal with newly promoted top-flight side Cremonese. That deal included a further year's extension if I Grigiorossi staved off relegation, which they ultimately couldn't do.

Vardy's side began the final day in the bottom three, needing to better Lecce's result to complete a great escape, following back-to-back wins ahead of the meeting with Champions League-chasing Como.

Leece beat Genoa, so there was nothing Cremonese could do to avoid relegation. Nevertheless, they still fell to defeat against Cesc Fabregas' side in a game where three of Marco Giampaolo's men were sent off in the space of a few second-half minutes.

Now, with Vardy's one-year extension off the table, the veteran forward is free to move once again if he doesn't sign a new contract in Italy's second tier, and a return to Leicester, or perhaps even boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday, could be on the cards.

Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday have been given a massive Jamie Vardy transfer boost

Both Leicester and Wednesday are set to begin life back in League One this summer, and both will be hoping that their stay lasts just one year.

There's a real optimism surrounding the Owls, especially following the takeover by the Arise consortium ahead of their final day victory over West Brom, when it was also announced that the club will not be facing a 15-point deduction to begin next season.

The ambition that David Storch and co have shown in the opening few weeks of their ownership, and that was emphasised when Joe Crann reported last week that discussions over a signing of Vardy had been had by the Wednesday higher-ups.

The 39-year-old's connection with the Owls is well-documented, having grown up a Wednesday fan and having spent time in their academy over 20 years ago.

Not only would a return be a sentimental one, but Vardy has shown this past season that he can still be a good line-leader in the Italian top flight, with seven goals and three assists in 29 games. In the English third tier, he could be the perfect striker in a promotion push.

However, in bad news for Wednesday, Crann prefaced his report by stating that he felt a move to Leicester would be more apt for Vardy, if he were to choose a League One club as his next destination this summer.

While the 39-year-old's connection with Sheffield Wednesday runs deep, he's considered at the King Power as one of the Foxes' greatest ever players, and the possibility of making a return to help kickstart a rebuild at Leicester may be something the frontman cannot turn down.

Either way, none of this would be possible if Cremonese stayed in Serie A. Now Vardy is a free agent, both Wednesday and Leicester fans will be waiting with bated breath about where he spends what could very well be the final years of his career.

Sheffield Wednesday may have the upper hand in Jamie Vardy pursuit due to Jon Rudkin factor

Vardy's route to Leicester may seem clear, but the presence of Jon Rudkin on the Foxes' board may sway the 39-year-old away from the King Power Stadium.

There was high speculation that the legendary frontman and the board member didn't see eye to eye towards the end of Vardy's first spell at the club, and that was stoked when he didn't mention Rudkin in his farewell speech last April.

Further, when Vardy returned to Leicester in January, plenty of Foxes fans were asking the 39-year-old to make a return, to which his wife, Rebekah Vardy, supposedly said, "Not while Jon Rudkin's there."

Rudkin has , indicating that he won't be going anywhere anytime soon, and perhaps that may block a potential route back for the popular striker.

If it does, then Wednesday will be waiting with open arms to welcome him back to his boyhood club for the twilight years of his career. That is, if Vardy decides that a move to League One is the right one this summer.