‘More likely’: Journalist says 26-year-old may put off Newcastle move, Spurs could come in

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Speaking on NUFC Matters, Ben Jacobs has been discussing James Maddison’s future amid links to Newcastle United.

It’s been widely reported that Newcastle could move for Maddison in January if the price is right, but even then, that doesn’t guarantee that they’ll land the player.

Indeed, according to Jacobs, Maddison may well decide to wait until the summer before deciding on his next destination so that he can see where the land lies in terms of European qualification and to see if another club, namely Tottenham Hotspur who have been linked, come in for him.

Maddison may wait

Jacobs shared what he knows about Maddison.

“It’s a bit of chicken and egg at the moment. If Newcastle want James Maddison in January, it isn’t a done deal, they will have to pay big, but there is an opportunity. But Maddison will more likely wait until the summer so he knows what he is getting where there may be Spurs interest, there may still be Newcastle interest, other clubs can come in. If Maddison wants to sensibly move away from Leicester, then what is he leaving for? That is a key question,” Jacobs said.

“Is he leaving for a club that has Champions League football? Is he leaving for an exciting project regardless of what they have next season in terms of Europe? Is it money?”

Newcastle are inevitable

Maddison needs to think logically here.

Yes, the idea of playing Champions League football next season is alluring, and who knows? Newcastle may even be able to offer that in 2023/24, but even if they can’t it’s an inevitability at some point.

Make no mistake about it, Newcastle will, eventually, be perennial contenders for the top four under this new ownership, and Maddison needs to factor the long-term, as well as the short-term into his thinking.

Yes, Spurs may be more likely to be playing in the Champions League over the next year or two, but at the age of 26, Maddison has almost a decade of top-level football still ahead of him, and with that timeframe in mind, investing in this Newcastle project is a safe bet.