CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs has been speaking on the Mouth of the Tyne YouTube channel about Newcastle United target James Maddison and how he expects him to sign a new deal.
Newcastle lodged two well-documented and rather audacious bids for the midfielder during the summer transfer window as Eddie Howe looked to add creativity and goals to his side, which would have taken the burden off the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson.
Both of those bids were ejected out of hand by Leicester City, who lost Wesley Fofana over the summer, and reports have since suggested that Leicester are looking to offer Maddison a new contract – something that would make it difficult for the Magpies to land their summer target if they are to revisit a potential deal in January.
Jacobs believes that it’s more likely Maddison will sign a new deal instead of leaving in the new year.
He said: “I wouldn’t be remotely surprised now if he either signs a new deal at Leicester – and a new deal doesn’t mean he’s staying, a new deal ultimately just means that it protects the sell-on value – but that makes it again much harder for Newcastle comparative to hoping that Maddison wanted the move and won’t sign a new deal, and then allows Newcastle to enter the market in the January window at a lower rate.
Will Newcastle end up signing Maddison?
Yes!
No!
“But I think more likely with Maddison, from what I understand, is he’ll sign a new deal at Leicester with a gentlemen’s agreement or possibly a formal clause that still allows him to leave in 2023.”
TIF Thoughts on Newcastle’s interest in Maddison…
It would have arguably been one of the signings of the summer had Newcastle been able to prise Maddison away from Leicester, especially considering he was just coming off the back of a season that saw him register 30 goal involvements across all competitions.
Given how threadbare Eddie Howe’s options are in midfield at the minute due to the injuries to Bruno Guimaraes and Jonjo Shelvey, having Maddison would’ve been a very welcome addition for the Magpies boss.
Newcastle will be hoping that the Foxes’ form doesn’t turn around and they themselves can make a push for Europe until January at least, as that may well see Maddison agitate more for a move this time around, whereas, in the summer, Newcastle were still very much an unknown quantity.