Transfer Centre

Tottenham Hotspur handed boost in James Maddison pursuit?

By Carter White | 26 June 2023

Tottenham handed boost in James Maddison pursuit?

Leicester City are reportedly prepared to lower their asking price for James Maddison, handing Tottenham Hotspur a boost in their attempts to sign the midfielder.

Leicester City are reportedly prepared to lower their asking price for James Maddison, providing a boost for Tottenham Hotspur in their attempts to sign the player.

The midfielder impressed for the Foxes in the Premier League this season, scoring 10 times and recording nine assists, while also earning call-ups for Gareth Southgate's England side.

Despite providing 19 goal contributions in the league, Maddison was unable to guide his side to top-tier safety, meaning the 2015-16 Premier League winners will be playing Championship football next season for the first time since 2014.

The former Norwich City man is seeking a move away from the King Power Stadium this summer, with both Tottenham and Champions League-bound Newcastle United said to be keeping tabs on the player's situation.

Spurs are believed to be Maddison's preferred destination, and any potential move to North London will be helped by the fact that Leicester are now - according to talkSPORT - willing to lower their asking price for the playmaker.

Leicester City's Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring their third goal with James Maddison on February 11, 2023 © Reuters

It is understood that the East Midlands outfit were hoping to earn £60m off the sale of Maddison, however with pre-season only a couple of weeks away, the club could see themselves part with Maddison for significantly less.

Such news will be a welcome development for new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian looking to instill an attractive style of football within a team which has lacked a real creative force in their engine room over the past few years, often deploying a defence-minded midfield pair.

It is believed that the North Londoners are also keeping a keen eye on Maddison's Foxes teammate Harvey Barnes, with Leicester said to have rejected a £50m bid from Tottenham for both players earlier this month.

The ex-Barnsley winger is another Fox who is heavily linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium this summer after scoring 13 times in the Premier League in 2022-23, meaning the 25-year-old finished top of Leicester's scoring charts.

The Lilywhites' position in the race for the Englishman's services has also been helped by Newcastle turning their attention to the signing of AC Milan's Sandro Tonali, with the Magpies reportedly bidding £60m for the Italian.

Sandro Tonali in action for AC Milan on September 14, 2022 © Reuters

Maddison joined Leicester from Carrow Road in the summer of 2018 and has since played 203 times for the Foxes, scoring 55 times and helping his side to their first-ever FA Cup crown in the 2020-21 campaign.

Any deal for the midfielder is unlikely to be completed soon, however Postecoglou is understood to be close to his first signing in charge, as Guglielmo Vicario looks set to join from Serie A outfit Empoli.

The shot-stopper reportedly completed his medical with Spurs on Monday ahead of a £17.2m move from Italy, with the 26-year-old being brought in as Hugo Lloris's successor to the title of first-choice goalkeeper at the club.

On July 23 Spurs and Leicester meet in a pre-season friendly as they both ramp up their preparations for the new season, so there is the potential that Maddison could be walking out against the Foxes in just under a month's time.