Leicester star Jamie Vardy to decide on Arsenal move after Euro 2016

JAMIE VARDY has snubbed Arsenal to focus on helping England win Euro 2016.

By Jeremy Cross, Chief Sports Writer in Chantilly

MOVE SHELVED: Vardy will delay a decision over his future

The Three Lions striker has been agonising over a £20m move to the Gunners after Arsene Wenger's men activated the release clause in his Leicester contract.

He has spent the last few days mulling over his next move following last-gasp talks with the Foxes.

England boss Roy Hodgson has been concerned about the unwanted distraction so close to his side's opening Group B showdown with Russia in Marseille on Saturday.

He wants Vardy to focus on the immediate challenge of helping England succeed in France.

Now it has emerged Vardy has spoken to Hodgson to assure him he is concentrating on the job in hand.

Vardy has told Hodgson he will deal with the Gunners after England have finished their campaign across the Channel.

It means Wenger's men will now be forced to wait until next month to find out if he wants to join them.

He could even turn his back on them altogether and the longer the fiasco drags on the feeling at the Emirates is that Vardy will remain with the Premier League champions.

Vardy, 29, signed a new and improved deal in February that saw his wages rocket to £80,000-a-week.

But the Foxes are so desperate to keep their star striker that the club's millionaire Thai owners are willing to sanction another wage hike of around £40,000-a-week.

Boss Claudio Ranieri knows losing Vardy could signal a mass exodus of talent from his shock title winners.

He could even turn his back on them altogether and the longer the fiasco drags on the feeling at the Emirates is that Vardy will remain with the Premier League champions.

Vardy, 29, signed a new and improved deal in February that saw his wages rocket to £80,000-a-week.

But the Foxes are so desperate to keep their star striker that the club's millionaire Thai owners are willing to sanction another wage hike of around £40,000-a-week.

Boss Claudio Ranieri knows losing Vardy could signal a mass exodus of talent from his shock title winners.

He has asked club chiefs to pull out all the stops and break the bank to keep him at the King Power Stadium.

The Gunners have offered him a long-term deal worth £120,000-a-week that will shoot up his wages and secure him a dream move to one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Vardy is torn between moving to the Emirates or remaining loyal to the club that gave him the chance to perform at the top level.

But he will not be rushed into making a decision and will now leave the Gunners hanging for the next few weeks while he focuses on helping fire England to Euro 2016 glory.