Arsenal are thought to be weighing up a big-money bid for Maddison as Mikel Arteta seeks to bolster his options in the middle of the park.
Rodgers is confident that Maddison will stay at Leicester
Brendan Rodgers has insisted that Arsenal-linked midfielder James Maddison will stay at Leicester City for the 2021-22 season. Arsenal are thought to be weighing up a big-money bid for Maddison as Mikel Arteta seeks to bolster his options in the middle of the park. The 24-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence since joining Leicester from Norwich in 2018. The 2020-21 campaign was Maddison’s best yet in terms of his overall contribution in the final third, and it has been reported that the Foxes now value a man who still has three years remaining on his contract over £60 million. Rodgers has now come out to address the ongoing speculation surrounding the England international’s future, claiming he has yet to hear of any formal discussions over a potential transfer.
The 24-year-old is a vital member of the team
Pressed on whether Maddison will still be a Leicester player come to the end of the summer transfer window, the coach told a press conference: “I believe so. I haven’t been told anything different. James is a crucial member of our squad.” Maddison has appeared in 118 games across all competitions for the Foxes to date, scoring 27 goals. The talented playmaker has also set up a further 27 for his teammates and picked up the first major trophy of his career in the form of the FA Cup last term. Rodgers gave an update on Youri Tieleman’s contract situation, with Leicester reportedly eager to tie the Belgian star down to new terms that will see him remain at the King Power Stadium beyond 2023.
“The club have spoken to his representatives; he’s very happy here. But there’s nothing to add yet,” the Foxes boss said of Tielemans. On Wednesday, Rodgers also expressed his sadness after seeing French defender Wesley Fofana suffer a leg fracture during a pre-season clash with Villarreal. The 20-year-old now looks set to miss a large portion of the new season, with his manager adding on the incident: “We’re devastated for him; he’s going to be a huge loss for us. Our medical team were tremendous on the night. “Our trauma doctor put his ankle back in place, and then he was rushed to hospital.”