Report: Everton plot initial £18m bid for Norwich’s James Maddison

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Everton have reportedly identified James Maddison as a successor to the departing Wayne Rooney and are now eyeing a bid.

According to a report from the Daily Mirror, Everton are plotting an initial bid of £18 million plus add-ons for Norwich City star James Maddison as the Toffees look to move ahead of the competition to bag the playmaker’s signature.

The Mirror reports that Marco Silva has earmarked Maddison as a potential replacement for Wayne Rooney as he closes in on a switch to Major League Soccer this summer.

However, the Toffees face competition from the likes of Leicester City and Fulham for the 21-year-old, and are now planning an £18 million offer for the attacking midfielder that will subsequently be bolstered with add-ons, according to the Mirror.

But with the Mirror suggesting that Norwich want £25 million for their talisman, would it be fair to suggest that Everton are taking a small gamble with their plans for their first offer?

Silva clearly thinks incredibly highly of Maddison, who enjoyed a stunning season in the Championship as he scored 14 goals and provided eight assists for the Canaries. The suggestion that he could step into Rooney’s void next season is an indication of just how much potential the youngster boasts.

Another indicator of his quality is how many top flight sides are interested, and that should leave Norwich more than confident that they will get the £25 million that they are looking for.

Not only therefore, does Everton’s potentially-low offer perhaps open the door for their rivals to steal a march on the Toffees, but it is perhaps a gamble to consider an initial bid that falls well short of the valuation as it may frustrate the selling club into believing that the offer has simply been made to turn a player’s head.

There is no reason to believe that Norwich may view Everton’s planned offer that way, of course, but they may certainly feel that a long, drawn out negotiating process does them no favours – especially while the fees being discussed are below their asking price – and may develop some reservations about getting into discussions with the Toffees.