Jamie Vardy: 'Roy Hodgson backed my decision to stay at Leicester City'

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has revealed that former England manager Roy Hodgson backed his decision to turn down advances from Arsenal and instead sign a new contract with the Premier League champions.

The 29-year-old was linked with a £20m switch to the Gunners just prior to Euro 2016 but after extensive consideration of the offer, he instead opted to pen a new four-year deal to remain at the King Power.

"It was a big compliment but there was nowhere else I wanted to be," Vardy told reporters in the US. "The team spirit and what we've got in the squad is second to none, you're not going to get it anywhere else. There is forward momentum with the club and unfinished business in terms of what we can achieve. That's what I want to be a part of and I'm happy that I signed.

"It was quite easy for me because I was away with England, so that was the only thing I was concentrating on. It was down to the clubs if they were talking to each other and my representative.

"I spoke to the manager at the time, Roy Hodgson, and he turned round and said he thought I'd made the right choice. I'm not sure why he said it, he was just happy it was all over."

Vardy's teammate Riyad Mahrez is thought to be considering a similar offer from Arsenal to move to the Emirates this summer.