Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing James Maddison this summer, and Jay Bothroyd is shocked at how much the Englishman will reportedly cost.
The Gunners’ priority in the upcoming transfer window is two new central midfielders. Mikel Arteta is desperate to strengthen the middle of his park, and Arsenal have been linked with plenty of names already.
Maddison is one of them, and he could be available for a very affordable fee now.
Jay Bothroyd shocked Arsenal target James Maddison will cost just £50m
It is no secret at this point that Declan Rice is Arsenal’s top target this summer, while Moises Caicedo and Mason Mount have been linked with a move to the Emirates as well.
Arteta’s priority will be Rice, but signing him for huge money may just make Caicedo a bit too expensive for them. It’s the same issue with Mount, who seems set for a move to Manchester United now.
The slightly cheaper alternative for that attacking number eight role would be James Maddison, and reports have revealed that Arsenal are interested in signing him.
The Mirror claimed this week that interested clubs like Arsenal think they can sign Maddison for around £40 million, but Leicester are reportedly holding out for £50 million.
Reacting to Leicester’s demands, Bothroyd says he’s shocked Maddison will not cost a much higher fee this summer.
He said on Twitter: “I’m surprised, that’s low for an England international.”
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Without considering the facts, a fee between £40 million and £50 million for Maddison does seem low considering his quality and how his numbers compare to someone like Mason Mount, who is reportedly valued at £85 million.
However, there are two big factors to consider here.
The first one is that Leicester have been relegated to the Championship after what was a disastrous campaign. Their valuation of players cannot be the same as it was when they were in the Premier League. The second is that Maddison will have just one year left on his contract in July, which means if they don’t sell him now, he will leave for nothing next summer.
That makes £40 million a fair price for Maddison, and we won’t be surprised if clubs try to bring that down by a million or two as well as we go deep into the window.
