James Maddison’s plan this Saturday will be to put a serious dent in Arsenal’s title hopes when Mikel Arteta’s side travel to Leicester City. His long-term thinking, however, is far less clear.
The 26-year-old will have just 12 months left on his contract in the summer, and despite talks about an extension being opened recently, it looks increasingly likely that he will be on the move.
Newcastle and Tottenham have been heavily linked as potential destinations for Maddison, but Arsenal have shown interest in the past.
They seriously considered signing him in 2021 when they were on the hunt for a new playmaker, but ultimately turned to Martin Odegaard when Real Madrid made it known they were ready to do business.
Clearly, that has proven to be a wise move, given Odegaard’s superb performances since swapping Santiago Bernabeu for the Emirates Stadium.
The Norway international is now Arsenal’s captain and has been the driving force behind their superb season up to this point, but that doesn’t mean that Maddison should be overlooked this summer.