Newcastle United targets Leicester City’s James Maddison
By Cade Cracas
After nine seasons of being a part of the infamous English Premier League, the legendary club Leicester City was relegated to the EFL Championship. This relegation results in the team losing a large amount of funds, and with that, they’ve been heavily active in transfer rumors.
One player in particular, midfielder James Maddison, has been a massive target from a number of high-end clubs. Newcastle United is one of those teams, as they continue their pursuit of the 26-year-old that started last summer.
Following the team’s movement to the EFL Championship for the 2023-24 season, Leicester City has been in the market to move players and free up funds to bring the team back to financial safety.
Moving a player like James Maddison would be smart, as his market value sits from a range of €50 to €80 million which would drastically help the crippling financial instability that sits with Leicester.
Unfortunately, losing a player like Maddison will drastically alter the total production that Leicester could provide. He is often regarded as one of the top midfielders in the game, with 10 goals and nine assists registered in just 30 Premier League appearances this past season.
He has averaged over 85% passing accuracy for the past few seasons, putting him in the top percentile of Premier League midfielders. His passing range is fantastic, allowing him to unlock defenses with ease, and his knack for picking out a key pass is second to none. Maddison is also an excellent set-piece taker, which is sure to be important to any team that struggles in that area.
For any other team, this would be a no-brainer to cash in while Leicester is in this high-stress situation of freeing up money.
That is where Newcastle United enters into the equation.
The Magpies have clinched an appearance in the Champions League for the 2023-24 season, and with the need to succeed officially becoming a top priority, Maddison could help lead that charge.
The team already has a handful of talent in the midfielder position with the likes of Joe Willock, Bruno Guimaraes, Sean Longstaff and Joelinton, but just like Joelinton, Maddison can play up top to help with the attack.
This not only increases Newcastle’s positional depth but also provides the team with a consistent style of play that rarely wavers.
He ranks in the top ten percent of Premier League midfielders when it comes to distance covered per game, which highlights his desire to contribute to the team’s defense as well. His work rate would fit perfectly in the style of play that Newcastle Manager Eddie Howe is attempting to instill in this up-and-coming squad.
In the last five seasons, Maddison has struck 43 goals and assisted on 32. That is the type of play that the Magpies need when they participate in European play next season.
This acquisition is easily applicable to them as the team is rumored to have over €250 million this summer to spend from the Saudi Arabian owners.
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