Gary Lineker has taken to Twitter to react after Gareth Southgate named his 28-man England squad, and there was no room for Newcastle target James Maddison.
What’s the story?
Well, Eddie Howe tried to sign the £60m man over the summer after he enjoyed a stunning 2021/22 campaign for Leicester, scoring 18 goals while also providing 12 assists in 53 appearances.
Maddison has started the current season in good form as well, registering three goal involvements in five Premier League appearances for a struggling Leicester side.
Despite his efforts, the Leicester No.10 has been snubbed by Southgate, a decision which baffles Lineker.
We agree with the BBC Match of the Day host – it is a very odd decision.
Maddison has consistently been one of the best players in the Premier League for a while now, although he has only ever won just a single cap for England.
It evokes similar feelings to when Southgate continued to ignore Jack Grealish, before he then included the attacking midfielder on a regular basis following his £100m move to Manchester City.
Newcastle move could propel James Maddison
In regards to the aforementioned point about Grealish, perhaps Maddison also needs to make a big move for Southgate to take him seriously – not that it should come to that.
It feels as if Maddison has done all he can at Leicester, and with the Foxes now rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, it does feel as if he is starting to outgrow them.
Newcastle are clearly willing to spend millions on the Coventry-born midfielder, having submitted a bid worth £45m for his services before the September 1st deadline.
Of course, there is no time to join another side before the World Cup in November, but if the 25-year-old aims to become a regular in the England squad, he may need to consider an exit from the King Power Stadium in 2023.
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