Exclusive: Leicester star rejected signing for Dean Smith this summer after text message – view

Leicester City star Jamie Vardy could have sealed his King Power Stadium exit this summer as Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith attempted to seal a reunion in Major League Soccer.

Smith managed the striker for eight games between April and May 2023 as the Foxes were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

But 37-year-old Vardy responded with 18 Championship goals last season as Leicester came straight back up, and his strong form earned him a new one-year contract in the East Midlands.

Smith Attempted to Sign Vardy Before Ream’s Arrival

After leaving Leicester, Smith was appointed as Charlotte’s head coach in December 2023, and it didn’t take him long to reach out to his former player.

“I did text him and see if he wanted to come over to America,” Smith told GIVEMESPORT. “I knew that it was going to be hard once he took Leicester back to the Premier League. [I love] his enthusiasm for the game.

“He doesn’t train as much as he used to, and he won’t get as many minutes as he used to, but if he’s used right he’ll be really, really good [this season]. You saw the goals he scored in the Championship last year.”

Charlotte are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference and on course for round one of the MLS play-offs. And despite Vardy being a non-starter, they have been able to attract another Premier League star. US international defender Tim Ream has joined from Fulham until the end of the 2026 MLS season with an option to extend by a further year.

“One of the first things when I came here that I spoke about was I felt we needed more national team and American players in the squad,” said Smith. “We haven’t got the biggest American numbers in the squad, but it’s for obvious reasons because we are a new club. The top Americans are the more expensive ones to take and, as a new club, we probably had to throw our cast further afield.

“Now we are two-and-a-half years old, and we have got the chance to go and sign a top Premier League player. He’s coming in as a member of the men’s national team. His experience, calibre and leadership are certainly things that will boost us in the dressing room.”

Smith is still hoping for further reinforcements, but admits MLS clubs are hampered by their summer window ending on Wednesday rather than being aligned with Europe’s top leagues, which shut at the end of the month.

“I think the enthusiasm is very high for coming over here,” added Smith. “The problem you have, I think, is our window closes [on August 14] and every other window closes at the end of August, and unfortunately the market seems to move as deadlines approach, and ours comes a little bit too soon for a lot of players, who are all looking for that top Premier League club [instead of moving to MLS].”

Grealish Backed to Bounce Back After England Snub

Smith is starting to settle in Charlotte, and is blessed with an excellent training centre, which hosted Real Madrid during pre-season. Atrium Health Performance Park opened in October 2023 and is home to almost 200 players and staff with eight football fields. Charlotte are hoping a national team will choose to make it their base during the 2026 World Cup.

The Charlotte FC job is the 53-year-old’s first venture abroad. He is perhaps best-known as a manager for his spell at Aston Villa between 2018 and 2021, which saw him guide the club back into the Premier League after victory against Derby County in the 2019 Championship play-off final.

Smith brought Ollie Warkins to Villa in 2020 for a £33m package, having previously signed him for Brentford as well. He also had Jack Grealish at Villa Park during his time at the West Midlands club.

Whereas Watkins scored the dramatic late goal against the Netherlands to send England to the Euro 2024 final, Grealish didn’t make then-Three Lions chief Gareth Southgate’s final squad.

Grealish went on to have an excellent pre-season but is now a doubt for Manchester City’s season opener at Chelsea on Sunday with a hamstring injury. Smith has been in touch with both Grealish and Watkins during the summer.

“I was [excited] for Ollie,” said Smith. “I know what [the goal] meant to him. The fact he would have been kicking his heels waiting for that opportunity. I had sent him a few texts before and told him to start warming up in front of Gareth Southgate to make himself known! I was so pleased for him and his family. He has worked extremely hard to get that opportunity and he took it.

“As for Jack, he had a huge disappointment during the summer, which he has spoken about freely. He will use that as fire now, and he is becoming a parent soon as well. I think that maturation of Jack that we have seen over the years is coming to the fore and, hopefully, he can carry on his form from pre-season into the new season.

“He is a top player. He has gone to Manchester City and won everything with them since he’s been there. He was an integral part of that treble win. He didn’t play as many games as he would have wished last season for one reason or another. He had a couple of nasty injuries as well, but I have no doubts he’ll come to the fore as he always does.”