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West Ham United's chances of signing Jamie Vardy may have just received a significant boost. The Hammers have been linked with the 39-year-old throughout August as Nuno Espirito Santo looks to add more attacking depth before the transfer window closes. West Ham have already signed Joel Piroe from Leeds United, but that seemingly hasn't brought their interest in Vardy to an end. And two of their rivals for the former Leicester City striker are now beginning to fall away. According to The Star, Sheffield Wednesday have seen a proposal to sign Vardy blocked by the EFL because it falls outside the financial business plan agreed following the club's exit from administration. The report claims a move to Hillsborough is now considered "very unlikely". Brazilian giants Sao Paulo have also reportedly cooled their interest because of their own financial limitations. Jamie Vardy deal makes sense Piroe has arrived after scoring 73 goals across four previous Championship seasons, including 19 as Leeds won promotion in 2024/25. So Vardy wouldn't be coming to London Stadium carrying the responsibility of firing West Ham back to the Premier League on his own. He wouldn't necessarily be coming in to start every week. Instead, Nuno would have Piroe, Taty Castellanos and potentially Vardy to choose from, while Pablo's injury has highlighted further need for depth. And we already know Nuno apparently believes Vardy still has something to offer. A West Ham source told Claret & Hugh earlier this month: "Manager thinks he has a season left in him." The evidence suggests that judgement isn't based purely on reputation. Vardy still proved his quality in Italy Vardy left Leicester last summer and headed to Italy for what many assumed would be the final chapter of his career. Instead, he showed he could still contribute at the highest level. The striker scored seven Serie A goals in 29 appearances for Cremonese despite playing for a team battling relegation. More importantly, those who worked with him continued to rave about his mentality and physical level. Cremonese teammate Tommaso Barbieri said Vardy's "humility, desire to fight and hunger" stood out, adding that he constantly encouraged teammates not to give up. Then, towards the end of the season, manager Marco Giampaolo described him as "a player of a superior level" after Vardy scored a crucial winner against Udinese. That's important. West Ham aren't considering signing Vardy because of what he did five or ten years ago. He was still making a difference in Serie A only a few months ago. Championship record should remove another concern There is also a tendency to look at Vardy's age and assume the Championship would now be too demanding for him. But we don't have to go very far back to find evidence to the contrary. Vardy was 37 when Leicester won the Championship title in 2023/24. He scored 18 league goals in just 35 appearances, finishing as Leicester's leading scorer as they collected 97 points and returned immediately to the Premier League. That was only two seasons ago. West Ham are trying to achieve exactly the same thing now. And there is already a precedent at this club for an ageing striker having a huge influence on a promotion campaign. Teddy Sheringham was 38 when he joined West Ham in 2004. He went on to score 20 Championship goals as the Hammers eventually won promotion through the play-offs. Nobody is suggesting Vardy should be asked to repeat those numbers. What Vardy could provide is experience, mentality, another completely different threat and somebody who knows exactly what a Championship promotion race feels like. West Ham opportunity is becoming increasingly obvious Sheffield Wednesday always had something West Ham couldn't offer. Vardy grew up supporting the Owls and was released by their academy as a youngster, so returning to Hillsborough at the end of his career would've completed quite the story. But Wednesday's chairman had already admitted making the finances work would be difficult, and the EFL has now reportedly rejected their proposed deal. Sao Paulo offered a completely different adventure, but that possibility is also apparently fading. Meanwhile, talkSPORT reported earlier this week that Vardy favours returning to English football following his season in Italy. That leaves West Ham in an increasingly strong position. There were understandable concerns when Vardy's name first emerged. At 39, he simply couldn't be the answer to West Ham's striker problem on his own. But a player who scored 18 goals the last time he played Championship football was still being labelled a "player of a superior level" in Serie A just three months ago. So, as a short-term addition to the attacking options Nuno already has, Vardy is beginning to look like a very sensible final piece of the puzzle. Have your say! Do you think Jamie Vardy is a sensible move to add depth up front? Can he make a significant impact in the Championship, even at 39? Have your say in the comments below for a chance to WIN a new West Ham shirt of your choice...