Newcastle United want to sign James Maddison from Leicester City this summer, but reportedly have a couple of concerns.
Maddison has been a target for Newcastle during the previous two transfer windows, and Dan Ashworth is hoping it is going to be third time lucky ahead of next season.
It is widely reported that the Magpies want to sign the 26-year-old, with i News recently claiming that Maddison is intrigued by the ongoing project at St James’ Park as he ponders a move away from the King Power Stadium.
His Foxes contract expires in 2024, meaning a summer move could be on the horizon if Leicester can’t get him to extend his current deal.
Eddie Howe appears to be primed to make a move for the England international, but Newcastle do have a couple of fears regarding their pursuit of the £60million superstar.
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Newcastle have two James Maddison transfer concerns
According to the Telegraph, Newcastle are concerned that Maddison wants to join a team that is already well placed to challenge for honours and win trophies. They are also concerned that he will be keen to join a club that can offer him higher wages than Newcastle.
Wages have proven to be a real stumbling block for the Magpies since the change of ownership. The amount of money being paid to players is going up, but slowly. Howe has been careful not to smash the club’s current wage structure and disrupt the harmony among the group.
Maddison will likely want a sizeable wage packet, as he is coming towards the end of his Leicester deal and is entering his peak years as a player.
Whether Newcastle can offer what he wants may depend on the level of competition. He has been linked with Tottenham in the past, who we are currently competing with to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
That could be a decisive factor on whether or not Maddison is keen to move to St James’ Park. With regards to trophies, we are surely more appealing than Spurs given their recent cup record. At least we made it to a final this season…