Tottenham in pole position to sign primary transfer target
By Gary Pearson
![LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 28: James Maddison of Leicester City during the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at The King Power Stadium on May 28, 2023 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images) LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 28: James Maddison of Leicester City during the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at The King Power Stadium on May 28, 2023 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/6c08d2aa5191a09740e757aae5d8ddc9cca8f8d8f7a7be73150132c615bc4a9d.jpg)
According to Scott Wilson, chief sports writer at the Northern Echo, Tottenham are in pole position to land Leicester’s James Maddison.
Wilson says Maddison’s decision will be based mainly on family priorities, who are fond of a move to London. The prospective transfer, though, is far from complete.
🚨 | 🏴 | Tottenham are now strong favourites to sign James Maddison, with the Leicester City midfielder preferring a move to north London ahead of a switch to Newcastle United. #NUFC [@Scottwilsonecho] pic.twitter.com/skZIWwmVGT
— The Gallowgate Report ⚫️⚪️ (@TheGallowgateR) June 19, 2023
If Tottenham are to land one of their primary summer transfer targets, they will most likely have to pay the full asking price. Otherwise, Newcastle will be more than happy to pony up and take the spoils.
Exactly what Leicester’s asking price is for Maddison is unclear, though Transfermarkt values the attacking midfielder at €55 million.
Spurs supposedly submitted a joint bid for a similar amount for Maddison and Harvey Barnes, a proposition swiftly and unsurprisingly rebuffed by the Foxes hierarchy.
Maddison is also reportedly excited about the prospect of playing under Ange Postecoglou, whose work he admires.
Tottenham has been in this position plenty of times, so it will be interesting to see whether Daniel Levy has learned from similar experiences.
Although, if he had learned, Maddison would already be a Tottenham player. In the meantime, we wait and watch as the rumour mill accelerates like the Red Bull F1 car. There’s always a chance a third club swoops in and beats Tottenham and Newcastle to the punch.
However, at this stage, that outcome is unlikely. So the two-horse race continues, with Spurs edging forward by a nose.
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Whether Spurs can deliver the decisive blow and secure Maddison’s services is the approximately €55 million question.