Burnley gamble on Vardy As Leicester flounder in League One

While Burnley secured former Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy on Sunday, hoping the ex‑Premier League winner can spark a revival, the Foxes languish in League One with just one win and sit 17th, highlighting a stark contrast between the two clubs' fortunes.

Burnley turn to Vardy

Burnley completed the signing of Jamie Vardy on Sunday, snapping him up from the free‑agent market after his spell in Italy with Cremonese.

The Clarets, who were relegated from the Premier League months ago, now sit bottom of the Championship and have failed to win any of their first five matches.

Leicester’s on‑field decline

Leicester City’s fortunes have not improved in the division below, despite Vardy having helped the club lift the Premier League title in 2015/16.

The Foxes were still in the Premier League as recently as the 2024/25 season, yet their decline shows no sign of slowing.

So far this campaign Leicester have secured only one victory and sit 17th in the early League One table.

Their 4‑0 home defeat to Oxford United saw them dominate possession at 63 per cent but register fewer shots on target than the visitors, with an expected‑goals figure barely above one.

Statistically, the Foxes lead League One in possession by a wide margin, yet only two clubs record more shots per goal scorer.

The disparity underlines a pattern of controlling the ball without converting chances.

Off‑field turmoil and managerial churn

Russell Martin, appointed as the man in the dugout at the King Power Stadium, is tasked with reversing the slide.

His most recent league triumph came with Rangers, the previous one with Southampton, making his tenure at Leicester a considerable gamble.

Leicester have cycled through five permanent managers since their promotion, naming Steve Cooper, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Marti Cifuentes, Gary Rowett and now Russell Martin.

Enzo Maresca, who guided them to the Premier League in 2023/24, departed for Chelsea in June, after Vardy netted 20 goals across all competitions that season.

The club’s tragic history, marked by the 2018 deaths of chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and others, continues to cast a long shadow.

Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, now chairman, has admitted personal responsibility for the recent decline, citing questionable spending and flirtations with financial regulations.

Reports suggest two familiar decisions lie ahead for the board, one unavoidable and the other potentially decisive for the club’s future.

The divergent paths of Burnley and Leicester illustrate how a single signing cannot offset deeper structural problems.

Both clubs now face pivotal choices that will determine whether they can climb out of the lower tiers or remain mired in stagnation.