Vardy refuses to discuss proposed Arsenal move

Matt Stead

Despite having a once-in-a-career transfer on the table, a honeymoon to plan and a film about his life in the works, Jamie Vardy is remaining admirably single-minded about his role in England’s Euro 2016 campaign.

Vardy might be forgiven for having a clouded mind considering the recent developments in his life – both professional and personal.

Since becoming a Premier League title winner with arch underdogs Leicester in May, Vardy has been the subject of an approach from Arsenal, married partner Rebekah in a brief break from training and scored his biggest goal in an England shirt in a fiery derby against Wales.

Deals for an autobiography, charting his rise from part-time non-league football to the world stage, and a Hollywood screenplay have also been penned but, while the circus continues to swirl, the 29-year-old is operating with tunnel vision.

The only thing that matters for Vardy now is working hard to catch Roy Hodgson’s eye at England’s Chantilly base and producing more moments like his crucial equaliser in Lens.

“As soon as you step over that line all you concentrate on is football,” he said ahead of Monday’s final Group B clash against Slovakia.

“When I come off that pitch, I am still straight back into the England camp. It’s easy. That’s all there is to think about.

“If you let things start distracting you, then you’re not going to be able to do that, which will then jeopardise the team as well. So everything gets completely blanked out except for England, England, England.

“There is only one thing you want to do and that is to play football to the best of your ability.

“The only thing is football. Nothing’s going to change that.”