Journalist Graeme Bailey feels bids being made for James Maddison could be a ‘ploy’ to get Tottenham Hotspur’s attention.
The Leicester City playmaker has been linked with a move to north London for most of the summer but has been the subject of two bids from Newcastle United in recent days, with the Magpies looking to test the Foxes’ resolve.
Their offers in the region of £40m have so far been rebuffed, and with reporter Dean Jones claiming on the Chasing Green Arrows YouTube channel (44:41) that Spurs may make their move later on in the window, they could now be forced to act sooner, with Bailey suggesting Antonio Conte’s side could be pressured into action by the amount of interest in the Leicester ace.
Speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, Bailey gave his take, saying: “Maddison’s already on good wages; to get him to Newcastle, you’re going to have to make him the highest-paid player at the club.
Should Spurs sign Maddison?
Yes
No
“This Maddison move, for me, doesn’t fit into what Newcastle have been doing this summer.
“I’m not even sure he’s an Eddie Howe-type player, either. I don’t see him going to Newcastle.
“I think this is a ploy somewhere, maybe to get a big new contract or to try and get Tottenham’s interest piqued to see if they will come out from the bushes and make the move.”
TIF Thoughts on Maddison and Spurs…
The 25-year-old scored 18 goals and produced a further 12 assists last season and would be well worth £60m but for the fact that he may not necessarily suit Antonio Conte’s system.
The Italian coach tended to favour a 3-4-2-1 formation during the most recent campaign, but if he were to revert to his patented 3-5-2 setup which saw him lead Inter to the Serie A title, Maddison would perhaps be ideal as a No 10 in behind the two strikers.
However, it will remain to be seen if the Lilywhites will finally act on their interest and if the fear of missing out on Leicester’s player of the year to Newcastle forces them into tabling a bid.