Arsenal make James Maddison top transfer target despite ‘Leicester rejecting £70m bid’

Arsenal: First fixtures of 2021/22 Premier League season

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

James Maddison has reportedly emerged as Arsenal’s top transfer target this summer. The Leicester playmaker has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham in the past but has shown loyalty to Leicester, who have now forced their way into the top-six following back-to-back fifth-place finishes.

Maddison arrived at the King Power Stadium from Norwich in the summer of 2018 for a fee of £20million.

Now he is believed to be worth around three times that but Leicester have no interest in selling him.

Despite a persistent hip problem, Maddison managed to register his best-ever goalscoring campaign in the Premier League after hitting eight goals for the Foxes and assisting a further five.

Mikel Arteta wants a player who can provide those kind of numbers from attacking midfield and the Gunners are unlikely to land Martin Odegaard on a permanent deal.

JUST IN: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta identifies new Bernd Leno replacement after Andre Onana blow

The Norwegian sparked the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette into life last season following his arrival on loan in January.

Yet he is now set to stay at Real Madrid as Los Blancos embark on a new chapter under Carlo Ancelotti – who knows Odegaard well from his previous spell at the club.

According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal have now made Maddison their top target as they look to launch an audacious swoop.

He will not come cheap though and the report cites that Leicester are said to have rejected a £70m offer for the 24-year-old last summer.

DON’T MISS
Jose Mourinho offers Harry Kane transfer advice amid Man Utd and Man City links
Man City ‘need Barcelona’ to help them sign Harry Kane after ‘Tottenham reject first bid’
Man Utd ‘to match Jadon Sancho transfer valuation’ with negotiations in final stretch

The identity of the club that made the bid remains unknown.

Leicester remain in a strong position when it comes to keeping their best players but their failure to secure Champions League football for a second successive season creates a window of opportunity for clubs who can offer that.

Arsenal of course, are not one of them but if Maddison fancies change, the move could still appeal to him.

The Gunners were interested in adding Emiliano Buendia to their squad but the Argentine instead opted to join Aston Villa.

Joe Willock, who became the youngest player to score in seven consecutive Premier League appearances last season while on loan at Newcastle, could play a big part under Arteta next season.

He’s been on the fringes of the Arsenal squad ever since Arteta arrived but his form with Newcastle is hard to ignore.

AC Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu is another player Arsenal have looked at.

The Turk could yet stay at the San Siro although he is technically out of contract at the end of the month.

Source: Read Full Article