Football London’s Chris Wheatley has reported that Arsenal are exploring a deal for James Maddison in a player plus cash offer.
Arsenal Exploring James Maddison Deal
Player Plus Cash
Wheatley reports that Arsenal are exploring the possibility of making an offer for Maddison, which would involve cash and one player or potentially more as Mikel Arteta seeks to get the North London club back into the top four in the 2021/22 Premier League season.
According to Football London, 24-year-old Maddison is admired by Gunners boss Arteta and, with Martin Odegaard now looking like he will stay at Real Madrid next season, the move for the Leicester City man has moved up the agenda for Arsenal.
Transfer Fee Could Prove Stumbling Block
Any deal would be costly, though, with Leicester valuing the player at over £60 million, meaning Arsenal would need to sell before they could buy the player outright, making the idea of a cash and player move increasingly likely. Arsenal players that are believed to be surplus to requirements include Joe Willock, who spent last season on loan at Newcastle United, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah.
Arsenal have already been busy in the summer transfer window with the signings of Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and the £50 million capture of Ben White from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Brendan Rodgers Confident of No James Maddison Deal
Despite the interest from Arsenal, Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has made it clear that last season’s FA Cup winners do not need to sell any of their best players as they look to also qualify for the Champions League after just missing out in both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 Premier League campaigns.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Cited by the Liverpool Echo, Rodgers said: “In conversations with the club, we don’t have to sell. That’s something that’s been made clear. The players want to stay. It’s a really exciting time at the club. There’s lots of gossip and speculation around but I’m loving working with the guys here, they love being here, and we certainly have no need to sell. So I would suspect we’re looking to keep our best players.”
Leicester have won both the Premier League title and FA cup in the past five seasons and are arguably a club in a better position right now than Arsenal, so any deal the Gunners want to do will be difficult to push over the line. Rodgers said the same about Ben Chilwell in the past, however, before he eventually left for Chelsea, so that will give a glimmer of hope to Arsenal that they can get a deal done.
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