Brendan Rodgers has laughed off suggestions Newcastle United are on the brink of signing James Maddison. A report by The Telegraph at the weekend claimed Toon chiefs had bid around £40million for the Leicester City midfielder.
That offer is understood to have been swiftly rejected, with the Foxes’ valuation substantially higher than the “derisory” offer. It is unclear whether United will launch a second attempt to sign Maddison, who has one England cap.
The 25-year-old is primarily an attacking midfielder but has occasionally operated on the right flank under Rodgers - a position Newcastle are targeting before the transfer window slams shut. He started for Leicester in their 1-0 pre-season win against Sevilla at the King Power Stadium, their last outing before taking on Brentford in their Premier League opener.
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Speaking after the game, Rodgers jokingly claimed the Magpies’ offer would only “cover three-quarters of his left leg” - an indication of how wide of the mark Newcastle are. However, with two years left on his contract, this could be Leicester’s last chance to cash in for big bucks.
"Madd? Nothing on that,” he said. “He is very much still a player here. These players are sought after because (of their) talents.
“You could see from the performance how happy he is. It is not for me to put values on players but that might cover three-quarters of his left leg. He is a top player."
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