Arsenal target move to sign £100k-a-week star as Arteta plots audacious swoop

Arsenal are plotting an audacious move to sign James Maddison after making the Leicester City playmaker one of their key transfer targets this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Mikel Arteta is gearing-up for a hectic summer in the transfer market as he knows major changes are needed if Arsenal are to compete for the top four again having finished eighth in each of the last two seasons.

The Gunners boss is expected to strengthen throughout his squad but a creative No.10 is a priority and Arsenal have already missed out on Emi Buendia to Aston Villa. Arteta had hoped to sign Martin Odegaard on a permanent deal but he looks set to stay at Real Madrid after his loan spell came to an end.

Arsenal are now looking at alternatives and the Daily Mail claims that Maddison has emerged as a prime target with Gunners’ officials believing a deal is there to be done with Leicester City this summer.

However, the north Londoners may have to dig deep as the newspaper says Leicester rejected a £70m offer for Maddison last summer and the player still has three years left to run on his £100,000-a-week contract at the King Power Stadium.

That puts the Foxes in a strong negotiating position and Brendan Rodgers will be reluctant to lose Maddison as the playmaker has been an important part of his side in recent years so it would be an audacious move by Arsenal to try and lure him away this summer.

The 24-year-old was hampered by a hip injury during the latter stages of last season – which all-but ended his chances of making the England Euro 2020 squad – but he still managed to provide 11 goals and 10 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.

However, the Daily Mail says Maddison wasn’t impressed at being benched for Leicester’s FA Cup final victory over Chelsea last month so that could give Arsenal encouragement that the attacker would be open to a move.

Some may see it as a step down for Maddison considering Leicester have finished above the Gunners in the last two seasons but Arsenal should be able to offer him a pay rise which could make-up for the lack of European football available at the Emirates next season.

Maddison is an attacking midfielder who excels in the No.10 position but can also play out wide if needed so he’d be the ideal replacement for Odegaard if Arsenal were able to get a deal done.