James Maddison has now seen firsthand just how good Newcastle United are this season, and why he should be pushing to sign for the Magpies in January.
The 26-year-old is Eddie Howe’s top target heading into the transfer window, as Dan Ashworth looks to reignite a deal that he failed to complete during the summer.
Newcastle had two bids rejected for Maddison before the season began, and could potentially return with a third bid next month.
The England international would be a fantastic addition to Howe’s squad, although he won’t be cheap. It has been reported that a fee of £60million could be required to convince Leicester to see.
It is unclear exactly how Maddison feels about a move to St James’ Park, but he must be a bit more keen after seeing the Magpies play in front of his eyes on Boxing Day.
Maddison watches on as Newcastle batter Leicester
Newcastle were red hot on their return to Premier League action. They blitzed Leicester in the opening 45 minutes at the King Power, scoring three first-half goals – including a glorious goal by Miguel Almiron.
The Magpies were dominant, and kept another clean sheet to win 3-0. The result lifted Howe’s side up to second in the Premier League, which is a remarkable achievement.
Leicester could barely lay a glove on Newcastle, who looked shell-shocked by their opponents’ energy and pressing.
It was a horrendous performance by the Foxes, who were without star player Maddison. He missed the game due to injury, which severely dented his side’s chances of securing victory. He has been their best player this season, boasting seven goals and four assists so far.
But he was powerless against Newcastle. He had to watch on from the stands as the Magpies dominated from the first minute to the last.
It will have been a sobering experience for Maddison, who may well have been questioning his future at the King Power whilst watching his team get brushed aside by the club that wants to sign him.
Maddison is one of the Premier League’s most creative players. He deserves to be playing in Europe. But he isn’t going to get that at Leicester in the near future like he has in previous years.
But Newcastle look destined to return to Europe, and could possibly qualify for the Champions League. Playing in that competition is a dream that Maddison hasn’t realised yet.
So after seeing just how good Newcastle are live, perhaps Maddison will now look to push for a transfer next month. That would help Ashworth, who might struggle to do a deal based on the finances that could be required.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
