Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are allegedly ready to battle for the signature of Leicester City playmaker James Maddison at the end of the season.
That’s according to a report from The Sun, who claim that Leicester may well cash in on Maddison this summer in an effort to fund other signings.
Leicester would want around £60million for Maddison, meaning Arsenal and Tottenham would have to dig deep.
Antonio Conte is understood to be a big fan of Maddison and has admitted to iNews that he would ideally like to bring in a number 10.
There have been links to Brentford ace Christian Eriksen but Maddison represents a younger, more expensive alternative.
Maddison, 25, hasn’t earned huge plaudits this season but has managed 13 goals and seven assists across all competitions.
Having once looked like becoming an England star, there hasn’t even been a mention of Maddison making the England squad for the World Cup.
Maddison may now feel that he needs to move on in order to take the next step in his career, with North London a possible destination.
Maddison was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal last summer. The Gunners were prepared to send players to Leicester in a deal for Maddison but no agreement was reached.
Arsenal instead went and signed Martin Odegaard on a permanent basis and many have praised the Gunners for picking the Norwegian over Maddison.
Yet in Edu’s ideal world, Arsenal would seemingly have both players – hence renewed interest from the Emirates Stadium.
Compared to Eden Hazard by Gary Neville, Maddison is a major creative force on his day and his stunning assist against Manchester United last weekend showcased that.
£60million is a hefty price for Maddison, and it’s hard to see Arsenal or Tottenham pay that for him – but you can understand their interest.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
