Newcastle United will finish above Premier League rivals Liverpool next season if they sign Leicester City talisman James Maddison during the summer transfer window.
That is according to Gabriel Agbonlahor; the former England international wondering aloud if Jurgen Klopp’s rapidly-declining Reds side are in danger of being left behind as their top-flight rivals move in the other direction.
Liverpool have already fallen adrift of a Manchester United side resurgent under Erik ten Hag and potentially hurtling towards Qatari ownership. Arsenal have come on leaps and bounds under Mikel Arteta too.
Ditto Newcastle United under Eddie Howe. There is already a 12 point gap between Newcastle and Liverpool in the Premier League table, and Agbonlahor believes it will not get any smaller if one of the division’s most talented attackers ends up at St James’ Park.
Will Newcastle United sign Leicester City’s James Maddison?
“If Newcastle go out and do the right business – go and get Maddison, for instance – I think Newcastle will finish above Liverpool next season as well,” the ex-Aston Villa captain tells talkSPORT (12 April, 9.50am).
“Liverpool are in danger of missing out on the top four next season as well.”
Leicester, The Telegraph say, want £60 million for Maddison; reportedly Newcastle’s number one target for 2023. The backing of those Saudi Arabian billionaires means transfer funds are hardly in short supply on Tyneside these days, however.
Liverpool, in contrast, already appear to be downgrading their summer plans; Jude Bellingham seemingly moving beyond Jurgen Klopp’s reach.
Last season’s Champions League finalists are now scouring the market for more affordable alternatives, Brighton and Hove Albion duo Alexis MacAllister and Moises Caicedo likely to come into consideration.
Agbonhalor, however, believes that neither player is capable of taking Liverpool back to those dizzying heights.
“Caicedo and MacAllister are top players,” Agbonlahor adds. “But Caicedo has signed a new deal. It is going to take a lot to get him out of there. MacAllister is not going to go for cheap as well.
They will definitely make Liverpool better but will not (take them) to where they want to go.“They are good players. But they are not going to get Liverpool to where they want to be.
“Jude Bellingham would have been a statement signing; ‘We are back. We’ve got the best young prospect in the world at the moment’.”
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