TalkSport pundit Tony Cascarino has delivered his reported Newcastle United target James Maddison.
According to John Percy of The Telegraph, the Magpies have made an opening bid of £40 million for the Leicester City midfielder, as they look to significantly bolster their options in the middle of the park.
So far this summer, Eddie Howe has welcomed Sven Botman, Matt Target on a permanent deal, and Nick Pope, as the former Bournemouth manager looks to help Newcastle towards their new, and higher ambitions.
Having his say on Maddison, Cascarino said on TalkSport: “James Maddison is a very gifted footballer. Great on set pieces, great on assists, can chip in with really terrific goals.”
“If they’ve offered, and we’re led to believe from what we’re seeing, if they’ve offered £40 million, it’s pretty clear that they’ll probably go to £50 million, which is tempting for Leicester.”
TIF Thoughts on James Maddison…
Maddison would feel like a statement signing for Newcastle this summer. They would be bringing in a top creator, who managed to score 12 goals, and assisted a further eight in the Premier League last season. And, they would be weakening a rival for the European places, if they do, indeed, have their sights set on those positions in the coming season.
It’s a new era at Newcastle under new ownership, and, in their first full season, those new owners will hope to see the Magpies cause a few upsets. Certainly, with a player like Maddison in the side, they would have every chance of reaching greater heights.
With a month left of the transfer window, a lot can still happen. It will certainly be interesting to see if Newcastle continue to test Leicester’s resolve regarding their star midfielder. Just how much they would be willing to accept for Maddison remains to be seen.