Rangers have been handed a boost in their pursuit of former Leicester star Jamie Vardy.
The legendary striker announced his decision to leave the Foxes at the end of the season, and he has been heavily linked with a move to Ibrox since.
The 38-year-old notched nine goals and four assists in his last campaign in the Premier League and could still do a job in Scotland.
That switch could be closer to reality after new developments emerged from Italy.
Rangers competition for Vardy pulls out of the race
Rangers’ interest in Vardy has refused to go away since he announced his exit from the King Power Stadiu but they have competition for his signature.
Italian outlet La Repubblica (6 July) claims that Genoa had struck a deal with Vardy and he was convinced by the new experience.
However, it states that legendary Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira, who is now the sporting director of the Serie A outfit, pulled the plug.
Vieira’s Vardy decision could benefit Rangers
The Italian side could have offered Vardy a better wage packet and a better lifestyle than what the Auchenhowie outfit would have.
However, now that they are not in the running for his signature, Russell Martin‘s side have the green light to swoop and sign him.
Vardy would be a real coup for the Ibrox side, he would raise the levels in the squad that dipped to an unacceptable level last season and may even allow them to overhaul Celtic, if he can still bang the goals in despite his age.
He has plenty of experience at the top level of the game, winning the English title with the Foxes back in the 2015/16 season and the FA Cup in the 2020/21 campaign, as well as multiple individual honours.
With Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane potentially on their way out, the Englishman would be a marquee signing for the new majority owners if they could bring a player of his calibre to the Scottish Premiership.
Ally McCoist revealed that the Gers tried to sign Vardy in 2012, and they could finally get their man, 13 years later.