Leicester legend Jamie Vardy announced he would be leaving the club he scored 181 goals for and helped win a Premier League and an FA Cup and get into the Champions League knockouts. The sun is starting to set on the 38-year-old’s career, so should he go to Seattle then?
Sounders’ Striker situation
The obvious pro-Vardy argument is their struggle to put the ball in the back of the net. Jesús Ferreira had a great game last week, but we don’t know if that’ll last or if it was a one-off thing. While I believe Jordan Morris’ finishing is better than people say, he still struggles. He’s a winger trying to learn striker, and it’s been a hard time learning for him.
While Vardy’s PL record recently has not been the best, there’s a great record of ex-PL legends coming to MLS and doing great. Like Thierry Henry (51 goals), Didier Drogba (21 goals in 33 apps), Robbie Keane (83 goals), and Wayne Rooney (23 goals). Vardy could easily be the next on the list.
What About Trusting the Process?
While the Sounders offense is still struggling, it’s not from a lack of effort. The Rave Green’s two biggest purchases in the last two transfer windows have been Pedro de la Vega and Ferreira, a winger and a striker. De la Vega struggled with injury last year but has come into his own this season.
Ferreira could do the same or could even be doing the same now. Plus, they have lots of young players, even attackers, who could step up if replacements are needed. Another big signing, especially of an older player, could be taping over a problem that needs much more than that.
Final Thoughts
Seattle’s most promising young attacker is half-Somalian Omar Hassan. He is the second-youngest Sounder to ever join the academy and a former Barca Academy member. He’s 15 right now, so he’s not coming into the first team anytime soon. Vardy could come in as a short-term stopgap and serve as a mentor figure for him and other young attackers coming up. With question marks around Ferreira, if he doesn’t start producing consistently, Vardy could be the final big signing Seattle needs to strengthen the offense.
