Leicester star set for new £23m deal after Man Utd links freeze over

James Maddison is on the verge of signing a new contract at Leicester, according to reports.

It has been a successful season for Maddison, whose form helped Leicester to a European berth. At the height of his powers, the midfielder became a transfer target for Manchester United.

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looking to add homegrown talent to his United squad, Maddison was earmarked as someone who could improve their midfield.

However, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers repeatedly warned the Red Devils away from Maddison. The ex-Liverpool manager insisted back in February that their top talent would not leave – and his stance has not changed.

In turn, Maddison has bought into the sense of belonging at the King Power Stadium. And he could now put an end to any lingering rumours once and for all.

According to the Mirror, Maddison is set to extend his contract by one year, pushing its expiry date back to 2024. He will earn £110,000-per-week as part of the new deal.

That means Maddison will receive £23m over the course of the next four years should he see out his new contract.

 

“Part of the furniture”

Maddison hinted during the lockdown period that he would be happy to stay at Leicester after a time of reflection.

“If I think back four years ago, I was on loan at Aberdeen from Norwich and now I’m playing every week in the Premier League and that’s all I always wanted to do,” he told LCFC TV in April.

“Sometimes stuff like this can make you really reflect and be proud of myself that I’ve got to this level and obviously look forward now.

“It’s not ideal, but this will give us time to reflect on what’s happened, whereas normally you can only think about what’s forward because it’s the next game… where are the next points coming from?

“It’s been a whirlwind two years and I’ve loved every second of it. I feel right at home at Leicester. I feel like part of the furniture already and I love it here.

“I love the lads, I love the fans, [we’ve got] a great manager, so I’m very, very happy.”

With Maddison no longer on their radar, Man Utd could focus instead on Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish. However, with Villa playing hardball, they may struggle to meet their valuation.

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