According to a recent report by Spanish news outlet Don Balon, La Liga giants Real Madrid are said to have a special place on their transfer agenda for Leicester City ace James Maddison, as they reportedly view the Englishman as a possible replacement for Luka Modric. The report suggests that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez even has a privileged spot in his plans for James Maddison.
The report further suggests that Luka Modric’s time as a Real Madrid player is gradually drawing to a close, although he’s yet to ask for a move away. It has been clarified that while the Croatian international still has a fantastic amount of quality on the ball, his fitness levels seem to be holding him back. With just a year left on his contract as well, it’s perhaps not overly surprising that Los Blancos have already begun searching for successors.
What Makes James Maddison Such An Attractive Talent?
The Englishman first broke into the scene at Norwich City, where he seemed to absolutely take the Championship by storm. His exploits for the Canaries are what earned him a transfer to Leicester City last summer.
It’s safe to say that the Foxes completed what was an extremely shrewd piece of business. Still only 23, it must also be considered that the former Coventry City academy graduate still has a massive future ahead of him.
A strong passer of the ball, Maddison has undoubtedly been one of the standout performers for the Foxes this season. The former Norwich City man’s preferred position would be just in behind the main striker, where he would have the opportunity to collect any second balls. The playmaker seems to have an uncanny ability to pick out passes across the most improbable of angles and ranges, while he even has a stellar right foot on him.
The Leicester City ace has the quality required to be a regular in Gareth Southgate’s national team setup, having already earned his first-ever international cap in November last year. What’s most interesting is the midfielder’s numbers from the current league campaign, which reads six goals and three assists from 28 appearances. Even with all the good work that the Foxes have collectively done this season, Maddison deserves a special mention for guiding this team’s front-line and keeping them in the top four of the league.
Can The Foxes Afford To Sell Maddison To Real Madrid?
One thing that must be conceded is that the Foxes’ recruitment over the last couple of seasons has been sensational, and the fans will be completely confident that even a mercurial talent like Maddison can be replaced. The former Aberdeen loanee was acquired for an average price by Premier League standards. Unless the Foxes are able to get triple of what they paid for him in the summer of 2018, Brendan Rodgers needn’t even think about letting Maddison leave.
