Man Utd, Newcastle and Spurs in James Maddison transfer race with £60m Leicester star ‘to leave even if they stay up’
JAMES MADDISON is reportedly set to leave Leicester City even if they survive in the Premier League.
The Foxes are currently 18th in the top-flight ahead of tonight’s crunch relegation showdown with Everton at the King Power Stadium.
Their 26-year-old talisman has endured a difficult campaign on the injury front, but he has still managed to fire in nine goals and provide seven assists.
However, despite being the frontrunner to claim their player of the year prize, the Telegraph claims that his five-year spell at Leicester will come to an end this summer.
The club desperately need to balance their books following a record £92.5m loss in their financial accounts and Maddison is their biggest saleable asset.
Maddison is also about to enter the final 12 months of his contract, which means this is the last opportunity for Leicester to cash-in rather than risk losing him for nothing next year.
And he has a host of teams chasing his services including Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle.
The Magpies have been long-time admirers of Maddison and even lodged two bids worth £40million and £45m last summer.
However, both offers were turned down and the player stayed put.
Since then Maddison has gone on to enjoy a fine campaign with the struggling Foxes and earned a place in Gareth Southgate’s England World Cup squad.
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Newcastle are set to make a renewed attempt to bring him to the North East and look certain to be able to offer the attacker the prospect of Champions League football.
But so do United, and both are expected to table bids of between £45m and £60m for him.
Managerless Tottenham also want the ace, and they are believed to be readying a move of their own to try and snatch him from their rivals.
The former Coventry City and Norwich man was also recently likened to Man City’s £100m man Jack Grealish, who boss Dean Smith managed previously at Aston Villa.
Smith said: “I think they are different types of players but they both know they’ve got ability and want to push themselves to become the best.
“I think when you’ve got players that have that personality and character they push you as coaches and you want to go and help them become better players. James seems to have that as well.
“He’s always looking to see what he can do better. He’s really engaging in the meetings we have and tactical meetings, and very vocal as well. I can see that similarity (with Grealish) of wanting to push himself.
“I’m liking what I’m seeing in training so far and he’s not disappointed in the games either. All the players are really focused and James is certainly one of them.”