Liverpool Transfer News: James Maddison Given £30M Price Tag in Latest Rumours
April 30, 2018
Norwich City will reportedly allow James Maddison to leave this summer amid rumours he is wanted by Liverpool, but the Canaries will demand £30 million.
According to the Mirror's James Nursey, Maddison is being eyed by the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, and the Championship side are due to cash in provided their valuation is met.
A sensational campaign from the 21-year-old has seen him produce 15 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
His efforts earned him the club's Player of the Year award, and it was of little surprise that he also made the Championship's Team of the Year, too:
Sky Bet Championship @SkyBetChampThe @SkyBetChamp Team of the Season has been revealed. The team was selected by #EFL club managers ahead of next week's #EFLAwards. Loan players ineligible – who would you have picked? >> https://t.co/9AdVrKrYA2 https://t.co/mtxxoDPygv
He has been crucial to Norwich's season, per Scouted Football:
Scouted Football @ScoutedFtblNo Championship player has won more points for his club than James Maddison has this season. 💛 14 goals scored 💚 16 points won Without his goals, Norwich would be in 21st place, two points above a relegation spot. https://t.co/SmUb1h8dG5
The Canaries can finish no higher than 12th, though, so Maddison will not be able to test himself in England's top flight unless he moves on this summer.
The No. 10's distribution is excellent—he'll reliably find team-mates even with adventurous passes because he executes them so well—and he uses his low centre of gravity to great effect, jinking past opponents to advance the team in the final third.
According to Squawka, Maddison has completed 94 take-ons and created 120 chances in the Championship this term, while maintaining a passing accuracy of 87 per cent.
The Englishman seems to have outgrown the second tier, and football journalist Karl Matchett fully expects the Reds to pursue him this summer:
Karl Matchett @karlmatchettMeanwhile, you can count on Liverpool going for another central midfielder this summer in addition to Naby Keita's arrival. Not going to narrow it down too much but they'll probably be English, young, capable of scoring goals and wear No. 23 for Norwich City.
Maddison's price tag is a lot to pay for a player who is not proven at the top level, but given his performances this season and his importance to the team—not to mention the resources of the clubs interested in him—it's understandable Norwich will demand a hefty fee to let him go.
However, for all his efforts this year, it's unlikely he'd command a regular starting berth at Anfield next season, so Liverpool may be reluctant to meet their valuation for someone who would ostensibly be a squad player in the immediate future.
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