With negotiations underway, what will it cost for Tottenham to get Maddison?

Promising news out of both camps has Tottenham on the cusp of signing James Maddison, but what will it cost to land their primary transfer target? 

You know things are about to culminate when the Athletic publishes a story with the headline: “Tottenham close in on deal to sign James Maddison from Leicester.”

Fabrizio Romano piggybacked on that story, saying negotiations are finally advancing. Yesterday reports broke about Tottenham’s £40 million bid. It was a bid without add-ons and further incentives, which won’t be enough to convince the Foxes to sell their best midfielder.

Initially, Leicester was holding firm at £60 million. However, recent news suggests they are willing to lower their asking price, keen on cashing in on their star 26-year-old before beginning a gruelling campaign in the Championship.

As usual, Daniel Levy is at the epicentre of the negotiations.

The difference this time, though, is Levy understands acutely the importance of landing Maddison, especially after big-spending Newcastle dropped out of contention. 

This negotiation process has added importance for Tottenham. Ange Postecoglou is a massive believer in the impact Maddison can have on Tottenham. One of the most influential midfielders in the top flight on his day, Maddison has the skill set and all the characteristics Postecoglou admires. 

With speculation of Harry Kane’s potential departure, it’s incumbent upon Levy to get this deal done. And he’ll know how high the stakes are for a Spurs side that must compete for a European spot in the 2023-23 campaign.

While the Champions League might be ambitious, a spot in the Europa League has to be a goal for this “rebuilding” Spurs side.

A Spurs bid of £50 million with add-ons will probably be enough to convince the Foxes to let their leading man run free. While £10 million seems like a lot of cash, particularly to a scrupulous negotiator like Levy, it’s not in the grand scheme.

Tottenham is the ninth-most valuable football team in the world, so it’s time to add £10 million to the bottom line and get this deal done before the dynamic shifts.