Chelsea have reportedly joined Arsenal in the race to sign Leicester City star James Maddison this summer, as per the transfer journalist Simon Phillips.
Having failed to stay up in the Premier League, the Foxes are set to sell some of their stars in the upcoming transfer window and Maddison is one of the players – who is expected to leave this summer.
It seems Chelsea and Arsenal are looking to take advantage of this situation and sign the Englishman to strengthen their midfield department.
Writing in his Substack, Phillips has reported that Chelsea have been showing genuine interest in the Englishman so they could make a concrete approach to sign him this summer.
However, the journalist says that Maddison isn’t a top target for Chelsea at the moment but things might change during the later stages of the upcoming transfer window.
Battle
Meanwhile, it has previously been suggested that Arsenal are also keen on signing Maddison this summer so they could make a summer swoop for him. Therefore, Chelsea are set to face tough competition from the Gunners in getting any potential deal done for the Leicester star.
It has been reported that Leicester will let Maddison leave if his potential suitors such as Arsenal or Chelsea decide to submit an offer of around £40m. So, the Blues or the North London club will be able to broker a deal for Maddison at a reasonable fee should either club opt to formalise their interest.
Despite Leicester’s struggle, Maddison has enjoyed a stellar campaign this term, scoring 10 goals and registering nine assists in 30 Premier League appearances.
The 26-year-old is an extremely talented player and would certainly strengthen Arsenal or Chelsea’s midfield should either club manage to secure his signature this summer.
However, having already got Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira in the squad, Arsenal don’t need to sign another attacking midfield to bolster their number ten position at the moment.
On the other hand, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz have heavily been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in recent times. So, if they leave the club this summer then Maddison would be an excellent option to reinforce the Blues’ attacking midfield position.
So, Chelsea could be a better destination for Maddison over Arsenal if he eventually ends up leaving the King Power Stadium in the upcoming transfer window.
