James Maddison update : Now highly unlikely to sign for Newcastle United in January – Report | OneFootball

Icon: The Mag

The Mag

·1 December 2022

James Maddison update : Now highly unlikely to sign for Newcastle United in January – Report

Article image:James Maddison update : Now highly unlikely to sign for Newcastle United in January – Report

Newcastle United made an initial bid of £40m at the end of July 2022 for James Maddison.

Then when that was turned down, United returned with a n improved £45m offer for the 25 year old midfielder.


OneFootball Videos


Brendan Rodgers and Leicester City were dismissive of Newcastle’s interest at the time and after the initial £40m bid, the Foxes boss said it might buy ‘three quarters of the left leg’ of James Maddison.

Back when these (opening) two bids were made in the summer, James Maddison was reported to be interested in a potential Newcastle United summer move and The Times said that their information was that the midfielder’s interest in NUFC remains, the newspaper reporting that Newcastle were set to return with a third further improved bid in January 2023.

The Telegraph were another newspaper covering the James Maddison transfer tale closely and appeared to have a good handle on what was happening back in that last transfer window, bringing news of those two NUFC offers ahead of many of their rivals.

Now in an update on Thursday morning, The Telegraph now say that their information is that James Maddison will be staying at Leicester when he returns from the World Cup, rather than heading to Tyneside.

The newspaper report that ‘well placed sources’ have told them that it is ‘highly unlikely’ that a big third offer will go in for James Maddison.

Indeed, they say that overall, January 2023 won’t be a transfer window that sees ‘huge’ recruitment /spending, with signings still very possible BUT not on the scale of what a James Maddison or similar would cost. Although they report that Newcastle United very much retain an interest in landing James Maddison at some point.

Previous recent reporting has claimed that the priority for Eddie Howe is a younger long-term back-up for Kieran Trippier at right-back, somebody who could also potentially come in and play in January, if Trippier needs to be carefully managed after the World Cup.

Some Newcastle United fans have been encouraged by the ‘banter’ between James Maddison and the NUFC trio out at the World Cup, with this year’s transfer speculation joked about amongst the players. However, taking that as equalling a move in the near future being more likely, was always a bit of a stretch.

Leicester City aren’t in the best of shapes financially and to relieve some of that pressure, sold Fofana to Chelsea for £75m in the summer, investing only around £15m of that in replacement Wout Faes.

Matters aren’t helped with Youri Tielemans set to leave for nothing in the summer, unless they do a cut price sale in this upcoming January window.

As things currently stand, James Maddison has turned down the opportunity to extend his contract at Leicester and has only 18 months left on the current deal. As time goes on, Leicester’s bargaining position gets ever worse.

Certainly the very last thing they would want, is for Tielemans to leave for nothing and then James Maddison the same.

The Foxes started the season in horrendous form and were rock bottom of the table with just one point from seven Premier League matches. However, 16 points in the next eight PL games has massively relieved that pressure, although they are still only four points above the relegation zone.

It remains to be seen how their improved Premier League form will affect Leicester’s position, when it comes to how they will deal with Maddison’s position and indeed, how much they would try and hold out for if they accept they need to sell.

Ironically, as Leicester have got worse, James Maddison has looked ever better.

In his first three seasons which included two Premier League fifth place finishes, James Maddison managed 36 direct goal involvements (scored 21 and 15 assists) from 88 PL starts (and 10 sub appearances).

These last 16 months James Maddison has 31 direct goal involvements (scored 19 and 12 assists) from only 41 Premier League starts (and seven sub appearances). This includes seven in seven PL games this season, five goals and two assists.

Quite phenomenal, especially as a midfielder, just imagine if he was playing for a better team…

Despite his incredible goal involvement record in the Premier League, Gareth Southgate has only ever given James Maddison one game for England, 34 minutes as a sub against Montenegro back in November 2019.

Eventually bowing to public pressure, Gareth Southgate included James Maddison in this Qatar World Cup squad. However, injury kept him out of the first couple of matches and he was an unused sub against Wales on Tuesday.

It remains to be seen what Gareth Southgate does on Sunday against Senegal but very unlikely that he will call on James Maddison, given the other players he regularly favours and ignoring the Leicester midfielder for so long.

Whilst it does sound as though a Newcastle United move is unlikely in January, we are constantly told that if an attractive deal does arise, the NUFC owners are fully prepared to back Eddie Howe.

Only 31 days now until the January madness in the transfer market follows this November and December World Cup madness. With Newcastle United currently sitting pretty third in the table and looking to attack both cup competitions in the upcoming fixtures, hopefully we will see further strides made on the pitch AND in the transfer market.

View publisher imprint