Newcastle 'leading Tottenham Hotspur in race for James Maddison'

Newcastle United are reportedly ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Leicester City playmaker James Maddison this summer.

Despite chipping in with 10 goals and nine assists from 30 Premier League games in the 2022-23 season, Maddison could not prevent the Foxes' relegation to the Championship.

The 26-year-old's contract with Leicester now has just over a year left to run, and he is expected to head for the King Power exit door following his side's demotion.

Maddison's season was also disrupted by a knee injury, but he is not expected to be short of suitors, with all of Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle tipped to battle for his signature.

A bid of £40m could reportedly convince Leicester to part ways with the England international, who is supposedly a target for new Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou.

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However, Sky Sports News claims that the North London club are currently trailing Newcastle in the race for Maddison, who was on the Magpies' shortlist for a January transfer.

Unsurprisingly, Leicester were not prepared to entertain bids for the midfielder midway through the season, but they will relent this summer rather than risk losing him for nothing in 2024.

Newcastle's qualification for the Champions League apparently gives them a significant edge over Tottenham, who could only muster an eighth-placed finish and will not be in Europe at all next season.

Arsenal would also be able to offer Maddison top-level continental football, but the Gunners are prioritising a move for West Ham United's Declan Rice before moving onto other areas of the field.

A former Coventry City youth product, Maddison made a name for himself at Norwich City before transferring to Leicester in the summer of 2018 for a €25m (£21.5m) fee.

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The Englishman has since amassed 55 goals and 41 assists from 203 games in a Foxes shirt, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield under Brendan Rodgers in 2021.

Maddison's form in the 2022-23 season got him back into the good books of England boss Gareth Southgate, who included him in his 2022 World Cup squad, but he did not play a single minute at the tournament due to his knee injury.

However, Maddison finally made his full England debut in March's 2-0 Euro 2024 qualifying win over Ukraine and has also been called up for June's fixtures with Malta and North Macedonia.

The 26-year-old is one of several players set to depart Leicester following their relegation from the Premier League, and Aston Villa have already agreed a deal to sign Youri Tielemans as a free agent.

Harvey Barnes and Timothy Castagne are among those also expected to seek pastures new, with the former on the radar of Aston Villa while Arsenal weigh up a move for Castagne.