Newcastle United have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Leicester City playmaker James Maddison following the club's relegation from the Premier League.
What's the latest on James Maddison to Newcastle?
According to the Mirror, the 26-year-old England international will lead the mass exodus at the King Power Stadium after City's miserable campaign ended with a slump into the second tier, with a fee of £40m touted.
The Magpies actually failed with a £50m bid for Maddison one year ago, with Leicester holding out for £60m, but it is Newcastle technical director Dan Ashworth who will be able to exert his authority in pursuing a deal, with the Foxes already revealing record £92.5m losses this year.
With London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur also vying for a deal, Newcastle must seal the deal swiftly; Maddison will be highly coveted now his club have plummeted from the top flight.
How would James Maddison perform at Newcastle?
The two-cap England international has been a prolific midfield force since signing from Norwich City for £24m in 2018, having chalked up 203 appearances for Leicester, plundering 55 goals and 41 assists – notably winning the FA Cup and Community Shield.
His boss Dean Smith described him as a "football nut" and he is an astute and intelligent playmaker, and his passion for his play is evidenced by his prolific return this season, flourishing despite his club's woes and scoring ten goals and serving nine assists from 30 matches.
He would arrive on Tyneside at a time when his addition could transform the club's offensive impetus from the centre.
Indeed, Newcastle have been sensational under Eddie Howe's stewardship this season and have qualified for the top four with the conviction of a tried and tested squad of winners, and the feeling is that a first-rate addition or two could transcend fortunes to something greater, potentially taking a place alongside the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid at the forefront of Europe.
He could well emulate the success of Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United, who has been the creative catalyst for the Red Devils since his initial £47m signing from Sporting Lison, making 184 appearances, scoring 63 goals, assisting 54 more and winning the Carabao Cup – against Newcastle – this season.
The "monster" – as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – that is Maddison certainly bears a semblance to his Portuguese counterpart, with FBref, ranking the aces as similar players.
Fernandes ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for rate of progressive passes per 90.
The £110k-per-week Maddison, comparatively, ranks among the top 20% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 13% for rate of assists, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 14% for progressive passes per 90, which is not too shabby for a star embroiled in a relegation battle all term.
Hailed as "world-class" by his England manager Gareth Southgate, Maddison would provide the spark and ingenuity to lift Newcastle to new heights, which is an ominous thought for the rest of the Premier League after such an exemplary 22/23 campaign.