Newcastle United are looking to sign someone who can play that killer pass, and Phil Foden believes they could find that in James Maddison.
The Manchester City superstar has heaped praise on Maddison, as they prepare for the World Cup in Qatar. The attackers are both set to experience their first ever World Cup, having been named in Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad.
There was no doubt that Foden would be involved. He is one of England’s greatest talents right now. However, it was unclear for a long time whether or not he would be joined by Maddison.
But the Leicester man’s form earned him a place on the plane. While the Foxes have struggled at times, the 25-year-old has excelled. He has been one of the most productive players in the Premier League this season, boasting 11 goal contributions in 13 games.
His numbers are exceptional, and they are a big reason why a club like Newcastle want to sign him.
The Magpies tried to sign Maddison during the summer, but Dan Ashworth had two bids rejected. Leicester wanted £60million for him, which was more than Newcastle were prepared to pay.
It has since been claimed that Eddie Howe’s side will reignite their interest in January, and Foden’s words on Maddison will no doubt increase the desire from fans to see him in a black and white shirt.
Foden on Maddison
Ahead of the World Cup, Foden has spoke to the Daily Mail. The 22-year-old has heaped praise on the current England team, and spoke of his admiration for Maddison.
“Technically, it’s probably the best England squad I’ve seen,” he said.
“I like Mason Mount a lot and James Maddison as well, the way he plays – players who can receive it in the pocket on the half-turn and can make the killer pass or shoot from distance. “
Maddison the missing ingredient for Newcastle
Foden thinks Maddison is a player who can change a game in an instant with his vision and shooting ability. And that is exactly why Newcastle like him too.
It was recently reported that both Howe and Ashworth are big fans of Maddison. The Telegraph stated that a club insider had told them that Maddison is the type of player they think they will need – someone who can unlock a defence.
We have seen for Leicester that he can certainly do that. And it’s a skill that will soon be required on Tyneside.
The better we play, the more teams will sit back against us. We have shown in the past that we struggle to create chances against teams playing a low block, meaning we need more craft and creativity in midfield.
Maddison would bring exactly that. But given speculation there will be no big money spent in January, perhaps we won’t see him in a Toon shirt in early 2023.