Two weeks into the 2023 summer transfer window and the curtain is about to come down on the James Maddison transfer saga. It was clear the 26-year-old would be saying his goodbyes at Leicester before September, it just wasn't obvious whether it would be Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur or any other interested party who would steal a march.
Maddison was in the capital on Wednesday, a place he has longed to be for some time according to recent speculation, as the formalities of his Tottenham deal were signed off. The England international will move south for just north of £40m.
Newcastle first expressed an interest in the attacking midfielder over 12 months ago. Leicester stood firm this time last year, holding out for a transfer fee the Magpies weren't prepared to match. Newcastle refused, as ever, to be bounced.
Ultimately, Newcastle were told the player had reservations about a move to the north east over London. This, despite a charm offensive from Callum Wilson on England duty. There was also the small matter of the finances involved in the deal as Eddie Howe aims to keep a lid on salary demands when it comes to new arrivals.
All in all, Newcastle move on to the next one. There will no doubt be a healthy dose of revisionism once Tottenham confirm the deal. History will be rewritten. 'We always wanted Szoboszlai anyway' may well be the shout from section of the Geordie faithful. But have Newcastle missed a trick?
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There are a lot of positives in signing a player like Maddison. The former Norwich City man has consistently delivered in England's top flight, hence his recent welcome into Gareth Southgate's Three Lions setup.
Leicester may have lost their Premier League status last season but Maddison, along with attacking co-star Harvey Barnes, still stood out in a poor team under Brendan Rodgers and eventually Dean Smith. The Spurs-bound star scored 10 and assisted nine in 30 top flight matches this term.
Maddison is a homegrown talent, fits the age profile Newcastle are looking at and at just over £40m represents fair value in this current market. Howe is also a big fan of his ability.
"I have full respect for him and his abilities. I have seen him grow from a Football League player to a Premier League player," Howe said of Maddison last year. "He has been brilliant. He has been a great advert for the Premier League."
Does Maddison fall into the 'elite' category of signings Howe mentioned earlier this year? Probably not. But the Toon boss wanted players to come in and improve starting XI and Maddison would have done that.
However, this is where the negatives emerge. The main doubt over signing Maddison in recent months has been over where he would slot in at Newcastle. Howe has so far been reluctant to change his go-to setup and doesn't usually set his side up with an out and out No 10.
Joe Willock, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sean Longstaff have all shown they can link up play and join in with attacking phases - but each can do the dirty, defensive work when needed. Maddison is much more effective going forward than defending and has already expressed his discomfort at playing out wide. "That’s not the type of player I am, so it wouldn’t play to my strengths [to be stuck out wide]," he said in 2019.
Newcastle have worked hard not to bulldoze their current wage structure, with recent signings Kieran Trippier, Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes all pocketing roughly £120,000-a-week. Maddison's reported £170,000-a-week salary in the capital rang alarm bells for Newcastle, who are on the cusp of making incoming midfielder Sandro Tonali their new top earner.
The 23-year-old will double his current wages upon arrival at St James' Park and is likely to take home £150,000 each week. Tonali's transfer fee is also expected to be the club's biggest single outlay of the summer.
Ultimately Maddison would have been a significant and welcomed addition on Tyneside had a deal materialised this summer. However, this new-look, cut-throat Newcastle don't waste time ruing missed opportunities.
There will be alternatives lined up, mainly Dominik Szoboszlai, as Ashworth seeks out additional firepower for Howe's side. Maddison isn't the first and certainly won't be the last big-name target to opt against a move to St James' Park. Newcastle, despite this, will continue to go from strength to strength regardless.
