Player Watch Player Watch: James Maddison

[THFCSPURS19]

Tottenham will need in excess of £50m to sign James Maddison

Spurs are just one in what is what is likely to be a long line of potential suitors for the England attacking midfielder

www.telegraph.co.uk

Tottenham will need in excess of £50m to sign James Maddison​

Spurs are just one in what is what is likely to be a long line of potential suitors for the England attacking midfielder

Tottenham Hotspur are set to move for James Maddison but have been warned that the transfer fee will be over £50 million.

Maddison is a priority target for new Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou and the England international will be sold this summer following Leicester’s relegation to the Championship.

The attacking midfielder has just over a year left on his contract and Postecoglou has given his new club the green light to make an offer this month.

Leicester are ready to demand a significant fee, however, and it is understood their initial asking price is over £50 million.

Though there is an acceptance that Maddison can leave the club, Leicester are insisting that his market value is high due to a number of factors including his statistics, position and ‘homegrown’ status.

After signing Maddison for a total £25 million from Norwich City in June 2018, there is also a 15 per cent sell-on clause from any profit which will go to his former club.

With director of football Jon Rudkin likely to handle negotiations, a summer saga could be looming with Maddison, who is also a target for Newcastle United.

Tottenham will hope that Leicester drop their initial asking price but recent history suggests that it could prove difficult.

Leicester have been notoriously tough negotiators with player sales since winning the Premier League title in 2016, raising over £320 million.

N’Golo Kante (£32 million to Chelsea), Danny Drinkwater (£35 million to Chelsea), Riyad Mahrez (£60 million to Manchester City), Harry Maguire (£80 million to Manchester United), Ben Chilwell (£45 million to Chelsea) and Wesley Fofana (£70 million to Chelsea) have all departed for big fees, with discussions frequently drawn out affairs.

Leicester’s traditional model is to sell a key asset each year and the Midlands club will return to that strategy this summer after declining to move any players in the summer of 2021.

Rudkin is also working on appointing a new manager and is understood to have ramped up the interview process this week.

Dean Smith held talks with Rudkin and chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha last week in what was effectively an interview, and he remains in contention to land the job on a permanent basis.

Manchester City’s first-team coach Enzo Maresca, Steven Gerrard, Scott Parker and Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna are also candidates but a move for Graham Potter, the former Chelsea manager, is regarded as a non-starter following the club’s drop into the Championship.

 

[Scot-Spur]

I like Maddison but for that price we really should be looking elsewhere. Plenty of good options and slightly younger aswell.

 

[zonbon32]

Very good player, but injury prone and seems like a bit of a dosser. Would rather Alex Scott and another 8 from Europe somewhere who would probably cost less combined and be more suited to AP's system

 

[Wig]

I'd rather try our own Lo Celso or someone vastly cheaper like Hatate, and put the budget saved towards our new GK and CBs

 

[snakehipsspurs]

Need to remember Percy is midlands god and will be reporting from Leicester’s angle. So of course their price is high if that’s their starting point.

Anything under £45mil is a bargain for a home grown international player, in his peak years and who is a natural in a position we’re desperate for. His set pieces, movement and ball striking are perfect as an 8 for Ange's style of football.

 

[E17yid]

£50m does seem a bit steep for him with 1 year left but I don’t think it’s ridiculous. You can see why especially with that sell on clause. Personally I would absolutely love him, wanted him for the last couple of years but I think he’ll go elsewhere.

 

[Lo Amo Speroni]

No brainer IMO

 

[Ghost Hardware]

For £50 mil we could get both Alex Scott (£20 mil) and Kang In (€17 mil) with coin to spare. Le Fee would have been another one but he looks like he's going to Rennes for €25 mil and also Veiga has a €40 mil release clause. All in all, I know a lot of fans want him but first of all i'd be amazed if he doesn't go to Newcastle and secondly I just think there are other better ways to spend the money. As I've mentioned before, I really think we should be targeting younger players to build the base of a new long term project. Even if the price is less the £50 mil as there is a lot of interest i'm sure he will be getting big contract offers especially if Chelsea are interested.

 

[Cavehillspur]

No European football, no Maddison imo. He'll be off to a CL team next season anyway, reckon Toon bound. Boat missed.

 

[he is you know!]

Leicester can demand all they want, if he only wants to go to one club, they either accept a reasonable offer or get nothing.

 

[Tucker]

Firstly, I don’t think we do a deal at £50 million. But if Percy is accurate and Postecoglou has approved the transfer then we obviously try to find an agreeable price.

I have my reservations about him, but he consistently performs in this league and has a lot of quality.

 

[Spursmatty87]

£50m is about right to me. He’s one of the best.

 

[jpascavitz]

I wonder if he'd feature as an 8 in Ange's system, a RW, or in a 4231 to have him as the 10?

Seems to played all three over the past couple seasons which is a strength.

 

[dontcallme]

He's a good enough player for there to be interest from big clubs so I expect a pretty high fee despite only having 1 year left on his contract.

If we want a high quality squad, then we need the best homegrown players we can get. I think he has really come on as a player, so if he fits our needs, I'd love for us to sign him.

 

[Guntz]

I bet Leicester will deal at around £45m with add-ons. They're not in a position of strength as everyone knows Maddison only has 1 year left on his contract and Leicester desperately need the money.

He's homegrown and got 10 goals & 9 assists in a shocking side.

An absolute no-brainer for me if he wants to come.

 

[Albertbarich]

For £50 mil we could get both Alex Scott (£20 mil) and Kang In (€17 mil) with coin to spare. Le Fee would have been another one but he looks like he's going to Rennes for €25 mil and also Veiga has a €40 mil release clause. All in all, I know a lot of fans want him but first of all i'd be amazed if he doesn't go to Newcastle and secondly I just think there are other better ways to spend the money. As I've mentioned before, I really think we should be targeting younger players to build the base of a new long term project. Even if the price is less the £50 mil as there is a lot of interest i'm sure he will be getting big contract offers especially if Chelsea are interested.

Is it Majer that plays for Lens who looks like a Luka Modric clone? Is he still highly rated?

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

He has several red flags:

1. Extremely injury prone

2. He is quite lazy and coasts through games. Doesn't fit the mould of super high pressing and hard working player.

3. His open play creativity isn't actually standout. A significant chunk of his xA comes from set pieces which creates this illusion that he's super creative. His open play goal creating actions (gca) is 0.36 (69th percentile), shot creating actions (sca) 2.76 (62nd percentile) compared to:
De Bruyne sca 4.27 (99th percentile), gca 0.84 (99th percentile)
Odegaard sca 3.66 (99th percentile), gca 0.43 (97th percentile)

4. His early and middle build up play isn't amazing and he isn't significantly press resistant.

For the money he would cost, we should look elsewhere especially as I really don't think he suits Ange's pressing and hard working system.


For those saying he will go to Newcastle, I'm not sure they will go for him. They are prioritising a move for Szoboszlai in that position instead and he's a far superior player.

 

[DJS]

I wonder if he'd feature as an 8 in Ange's system, a RW, or in a 4231 to have him as the 10?

Seems to played all three over the past couple seasons which is a strength.

He’s said he prefers to be an 8 so i‘d guess he’d be in the midfield three of a 4-3-3.

Leicester City's number 10 insists he's not a number 10

The Leicester City midfielder has been discussing his best position, what he has had to learn, and having to wait a year to represent England at the European Championships

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

Arsenal target James Maddison says he wants to play as a 'number eight'

Arsenal have been linked with a move for Leicester City and England midfielder James Maddison, and the English international has said he does not see himself as a number ten

www.football.london

 

[Japhet]

If he goes this Summer I expect him to go to NUFC. If not, Ange might get us playing good enough football to tempt him later on. In the meantime, GLC can most likely do a similar job for us.

 

[DJS]

Hate to say it though but if Arsenal want him I could see him going there.

He’d replace Xhaka in their current system.

Although as others have mentioned I’d also be really keen on Bristol City’s Alex Scott.

Either Scott or Maddison (or both mwahahahaha) and I’d be happy.