Revealed: The little-known reason Jamie Vardy is forced to wait for Burnley debut after his surprise return to English football at 39

Jamie Vardy has been forced to wait for his Burnley debut due to a suspension hanging over from his time in Italy. 

The 39-year-old put pen-to-paper on Sunday, less than 24 hours after a demoralising home defeat to Bristol City, on a deal until the end of the season.

Many expected Vardy to be involved in Burnley’s game at Wrexham on Tuesday, yet his name was absent when the teams were announced.

And, Daily Mail Sport can reveal that Vardy’s omission is due to the fact that he has to serve a one-match suspension after he accumulated five yellow cards in Serie A.

In Italy, a ban is automatically triggered after five cautions across the campaign, with Vardy picking up his fifth booking in Cremonese’s final game of last season against Como. 

Those rules differ to the Championship, with five bookings only leading to a ban if they come before the first 19 league matches. 

Vardy swigs on a can of Red Bull ahead of watching Burnley’s 1-1 draw with Wrexham

Last season Vardy picked up five yellow cards while at Cremonese, triggering a one-match suspension

The threshold is then increased to 10 yellow cards triggering a two-match suspension if they take place up to and including a team’s 37th league game, with a three-match ban handed out for 15 yellow cards over the season. 

Vardy was still present in Wrexham to cheer on his new team-mates, and got to see just how big a job he has on his hands to turn Burnley into a force this season after he watched the Clarets draw 1-1 in the pouring rain.  

This was just a watching brief for the former England international striker, who has kept busy this summer as a free agent running a podcast.

Here Vardy sat, with a baseball cap covering his face, and a coffee helping warm him up on a chilly night in North Wales as Burnley threw away a one-goal lead to remain stuck in the Championship relegation zone.

Burnley boss Nicky Hayen thought his side had pulled a rabbit from the hat when striker Zeki Amdouni punished a Wrexham defence that looked all at sea, just days after they shut out league leaders Swansea City, to make it 1-0.

Vardy stood to applaud but his brow was furrowed when Jacques Ekomie headed in a second half equaliser to ensure a point apiece, leaving Burnley and Vardy with a lot of work to do in their bid to return to the Premier League.

Speaking after his arrival was confirmed – which followed a summer of speculation about where he would end up – the veteran striker expressed his desire to propel his new team up the table. 

Vardy told the club’s website: ‘I’m really happy to now be here at Burnley. This club has a proper footballing history and passionate fans who deserve a team that represents them and their town.

‘I can’t wait to get going on the pitch and help the team move in the right direction.’

The move sees Vardy and his wife Rebekah return to England after he played in Italy for a year

Vardy signing autographs for fans after sealing his surprise return to English football at 39

Burnley boss Nicky Hayen also outlined his excitement about what his new striker will add to his struggling squad. 

He said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Jamie to Burnley. His experience and leadership will be invaluable, and we believe he can make a significant impact on our campaign. Jamie has a proven track record, and we are looking forward to seeing him in a Claret shirt.’

Vardy, who moved to Italy with his wife Rebekah and their family last season, scored seven goals and provided three assists in 29 appearances in Serie A for Cremonese.

The 39-year-old previously scored 200 goals in 500 matches for Leicester and won both the Premier League and FA Cup with the club. He is regarded as one of the Foxes’ greatest ever players.

The striker, who had a Netflix documentary about his career released in May,  also scored seven goals in 26 appearances for England and was part of the Three Lions squad for Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.