Liverpool interested in signing 26-year-old PL star, his price has just dropped by £20m

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Liverpool are one of the clubs who could pursue a move for Leicester City midfielder James Maddison this summer.

Maddison looks set to leave Leicester following their relegation from the Premier League. And speaking to The Football Terrace ‘Done Deal Show,’ journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that Liverpool are in the mix. But they’re not favourites, or even second favourites.

“Maddison is highly sought after. There was always the very strong possibility that Newcastle would return and now that Leicester are down there might be a more loosely speaking ‘cut price’ deal to be done,” Jacobs said. “The fee will be really interesting. Liverpool are there, Spurs are there as well.

“Tottenham and Newcastle have been the two leading contenders for quite some time. I know people are talking about Arsenal as well and even Liverpool or Chelsea. I think it’s normal given the first half of the season in particular that Maddison had that there will be a range of interest in him. It will all depend on the price at this point.

“When Newcastle bid last summer they were somewhere in the region of £40-45m. At that point it was said very clearly that Leicester were looking for £65m, something in that ballpark, maybe even a little bit more. They didn’t want to sell. Now I think we’ll come back to that original valuation because we’re a year on and Leicester have gone down.”

Liverpool enter crowded Maddison battle

In a summer where Liverpool are searching for bargains, it’s easy to see why Maddison’s name is cropping up. At £40-45m he’s certainly worth a second look.

As a home-grown player, he’d also satisfy another requirement that the Reds have been looking for in the window. Throw in Liverpool’s need for a goal-scoring midfielder and you start to get the picture.

But, crucially, it sounds like there are at least two sides ahead of the Reds at this moment in time.

Newcastle can of course offer Champions League football for next season. Upwardly mobile and with cash to burn, there’s every chance they’ll consolidate that position, or even improve on it in the coming seasons.

Spurs are perhaps less of a threat, but with new manager Ange Postecoglou now confirmed, they’ll hope to be a force again in 2023/24. They’re always an attractive option and have a rich recent history with top English players.

So, Liverpool will have to weigh up just how much they fancy taking a run at Maddison. With other clubs involved and the player turning twenty-seven in November, we’re not sure he’s the best option out there right now.

Still, it’s not every day one of the most talented players in the country becomes available at a cut-price. Certainly one to keep on top of.