OPINION
Everton director of football Marcel Brands appears to have dropped the ball in the race for Norwich midfielder James Maddison as the Goodison Park target reportedly heads for a medical at Leicester.
Guardian reporter Jacob Steinberg has claimed on his personal Twitter account that Everton, Fulham and West Ham were interested in signing Maddison, 21, this summer after a dazzling season at Carrow Road.
However it is understood that the England Under-21 international is now heading to Leicester for a medical on Monday, meaning that the Toffees have missed out on their midfield transfer target.
Leicester are the preferred option for James Maddison despite Southampton’s bid and interest from Everton, Fulham and West Ham. Fascinating signing assuming there are no late issues #lcfc #ncfc
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) June 18, 2018
Maddison is having a medical with Leicester today #lcfc #ncfc
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) June 18, 2018
Sky Sports reported at the weekend that Leicester had an offer of £22million accepted for the midfielder, a fee that would have definitely been within Everton’s budget.
Maddison would definitely have filled a creative void at Goodison Park and with Wayne Rooney’s future looking uncertain, Marco Silva will need an attacking midfielder like the Norwich ace.
The 21-year-old is brilliant on the ball and can score goals as well as supply them, as demonstrated last season when he scored 15 goals and supplied 11 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions.
Newly-appointed transfer chief Brands is yet to make a signing in over two weeks of arriving at Goodison, and it definitely looks as though he has made a mistake here by not trying hard enough to sign Maddison from Norwich.
Everton’s loss is certainly going to be Leicester’s game, and everyone will see that next season when he shines in the Premier League.