Renowned sports journalist Craig Hope has revealed that James Maddison is likely to join Tottenham Hotspur in the upcoming summer transfer window, despite strong interest from Newcastle United.
Maddison has been linked with a move away from Leicester City since last year but decided against signing him due to his asking price.
Newcastle also made two bids for the attacking midfielder, which were rejected due to falling short of Leicester’s £60m valuation.
Both clubs remain interested in signing him this summer. According to The Daily Mail, Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy is keen to sign the midfielder in the summer, irrespective of the club’s next manager.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph has also claimed that Tottenham are leading the race to sign Maddison for a fee of around £50 million.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports (via TBR), Craig Hope confirmed his expectations, saying “the noises I’m hearing, he will be going to Spurs.”
Maddison has remained an impressive player, scoring nine goals and providing six assists in the Premier League so far this season.
Maddison’s possible transfer to Tottenham would immediately address the club’s lack of an attacking midfielder.
He could also form a formidable partnership with Harry Kane, his England teammate assuming he stays at the club next season.
With Kane’s contract set to expire next year, Tottenham’s hierarchy must convince the striker to remain at the club beyond this season.
The first thing Tottenham needs to do is find a replacement for Conte since that will be a huge factor in Kane’s decision. A manager of Pochettino or Luis Enrique’s status could help convince him to stay.