Arsenal are ready to rival Chelsea in the pursuit of Leicester City playmaker James Maddison this summer.
According to Football.London journalist, Chris Wheatley, Arsenal are among the clubs interested in the services of James Maddison. It appears Mikel Arteta is a huge admirer of the Leicester City starlet, who is facing an uncertain future at the club after the Foxes missed out on the Champions League yet again.
Arsenal are joined by Chelsea in the race to sign Maddison, with the Blues identifying the player as their desired replacement for Hakim Ziyech. The marquee signing from Ajax last summer is reportedly on the radar of Atletico Madrid, as the attacker is not really favoured by head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Maddison is no stranger to interest from top Premier League clubs due to the sheer amount of success he has had at Leicester City. Since joining the club in 2018, the playmaker has notched up 118 competitive appearances, scoring 27 goals while chipping in with 20 assists.
The former Norwich City starlet has consistently emerged as one of the league’s most efficient chance creators in recent years, alongside the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Pascal Gross, who is a target for Liverpool.
Arsenal’s interest in Maddison likely stems from the club’s recent failure to sign Emiliano Buendia, who joined Aston Villa. The Gunners are also expected to face a setback in their pursuit of Martin Odegaard among other players.
The Leicester City star, in that regard, could be a viable alternative, in Arteta’s bid to sign a new number ten this summer. The Englishman has a considerable amount of experience in the Premier League with almost 100 appearances while his chance creation should supplement an otherwise inexperienced creative unit, consisting of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, Maddison is expected to cost a fortune given his success at Leicester City. The Gunners are already facing budget constraints following a difficult financial year. It does, however, put Chelsea in the driver’s seat, knowing the recently crowned European champions do have the cash to burn in the summer.
Tuchel has already shown a lot of desire to reshape his creative department, with the likes of Ziyech, Ross Barkley, Callum Hudson-Odoi and even Christian Pulisic facing an uncertain future at the club.
Maddison should be a viable option due to his ability and experience. The high-profile departures should help the Blues fund a move for the Leicester City starlet, who could be a smart long-term investment for the club.