Darren Bent would ‘love to see’ 24-year-old join Arsenal, amid Gunners links

Add as preferred source on Google

Darren Bent has said that he wants to see Leicester City star James Maddison join Arsenal, amid reported interest from the north London club.

Maddison, who earns £110,000-a-week, is a talented attacking midfielder at the King Power Stadium. 

He missed out on the England squad this summer for Euro 2020, but it was still an impressive campaign from him. Overall, he managed 11 goals and 10 assists in 42 games last season.

The creative playmaker has received plenty of links to the Emirates Stadium this summer, including a latest one that explains a move that’s been made.

According to Football London, Arsenal have offered four different individuals in player-plus-cash deal for Maddison.

The report states they are trying to lower his £60million asking price, so have offered Reiss Nelson, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah as makeweights in the deal. However, Leicester would prefer straight cash to sell their key player.

Pundit and Gunners supporter Bent says he wants Maddison at Arsenal, albeit doesn’t see the creative role as a priority. 

“[Maddison] is a fantastic player. I’d love to see him in an Arsenal shirt, but I believe there’s other positions that are probably more important than maybe getting that playmaker,” Bent told talkSPORT.

Where would James Maddison fit in at Arsenal?

If Arsenal pulled off a remarkable deal for Maddison, there is no doubt he’d have to come straight into the XI.

The 24-year-old’s got so much potential and he’ll hope he can get back to the kind of form he showed pre-injury last season. He’s best operating from a central role, so it would leave big question marks over Emile Smith Rowe.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta could potentially look at a trio of Smith-Rowe, Maddison and Bukayo Saka behind a striker. However, this is only imagination right now.

In other news, ’Thought he wants out?’: Some Liverpool fans react to their £15m-rated player’s comments, amid exit links