Newcastle United’s James Maddison bid; ‘rejected’ offer, contract plans, Brendan Rodgers comments

Newcastle United are still on the hunt for new players, but it seems they have been dealt a setback.

The Magpies have enjoyed an exciting summer, armed with their new-found wealth, pulling off signings such as Sven Botman.

But they are not done just yet, chasing new signings with plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window.

The new season may be fast approaching, but Eddie Howe still wants more tools, and James Maddison is the latest to be linked.

Here we run you through what we know so far about Newcastle’s bid to land the England international.

Failed bid

According to a report from The Guardian, Newcastle have failed with a bid worth £40million for Maddison.

Leicester swiftly rejected the offer, valuing Maddison as one of their key players for the upcoming season.

The report claims Newcastle have made Maddison a key target for between now and the end of the summer window.

It’s claimed Newcastle are now weighing up another bid having been told Leicester value their star midfielder closer to £60million.

Leicester plans

Leicester are said to be planning to give Maddison a new contract amid transfer links.

The midfielder enjoyed an excellent season of last, scoring 16 goals and assisting nine across all competitions.

And the Foxes, according to the Daily Mail, are now preparing a new contract for Maddison.

Whether he accepts or rejects that offer could be very telling as far as his future is concerned.

The England star is tied down until 2024 anyway, and should he reject a new conttact, it would be a clear sign that he sees his future elsewhere, be it in the short or long term.

What has Rodgers said?

Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers last spoke about Maddison towards the end of last season.

“He can’t do any more (to get back into the England squad),” he said. “He will be delighted with the season he’s had. He’s playing with no tension, that’s for sure. He’s not tense, he’s free. He’s fit, he’s playing games, he’s doing the running, he’s doing the work.

“We have other players that need to do more and impact the game more, run more. But he has been absolutely brilliant, strong defensively and he’s been aggressive.

“His football talent is there to see and then look at his numbers and the efficiency. He’s been absolutely first-class. He’s been, by quite a distance, our best player.”