Carlton Palmer discusses James Maddison £80m price tag

Former England international Carlton Palmer believes Leicester City will struggle to get £80m for James Maddison, although he does feel they should get over £60m for their star man.

Will James Maddison leave Leicester City?

With the Foxes now in the Championship, it seemed inevitable that Maddison would depart the King Power Stadium this month. Whilst he didn’t have his best individual campaign last time out overall, he still contributed ten goals and nine assists in 30 appearances, highlighting the talent of the England international.

It’s no surprise there have been plenty of rumours surrounding Maddison’s future, with Spurs and Newcastle thought to be very keen on bringing the player in.

However, no fee has been agreed yet, and it has been claimed that Leicester want £80m for the 26-year-old, even though Maddison is about to enter the final year of his contract.

Yet, speaking to FLW, Palmer explained why Leicester may need to lower their demands, even if they’re sure to get a significant sum this summer.

“He only has a year to run, and they won’t risk letting him leave on a free next summer. I think it’s highly unlikely this will happen, Maddison has played his heart out for Leicester, and I can’t see the club standing in his way, harming his career when he wants to play in the Premier League and his England career.

“So I think a compromise will be reached. Had it only been one club that was interested in his signature, then we’d see a much lower fee agreed, but whilst there is interest in several top clubs, Leicester can hold their nerve. I expect Leicester to get around £60m for Maddison with add-ons.”

How much will James Maddison cost?

In truth, the £80m claim was a very bold one from Leicester, and it’s highly unlikely they’re going to get near that figure considering they’re a Championship club, and Maddison has a year left on his deal. Therefore, there won’t be many disagreeing with Palmer on that.

But, this is a negotiation tactic from Leicester, and it’s their way of showing that they won’t be bullied by the Premier League sides this summer. Nevertheless, if they did get a £60m initial fee it would be outstanding business for Leicester and that would give Enzo Maresca the funds he needs to bring in his own players.

So, it will be interesting to see how this plays out, and where Maddison ends up. Either way, it seems he has played his last game for Leicester, but the club are right to hold out for a big fee here, and you would expect a bidding war will happen in the coming weeks.