Manchester United have reportedly made a decision to offer Jesse Lingard plus £45 million to land Leicester City ace James Maddison in the January transfer window.
Maddison has been hugely effective for Leicester City this season as the Foxes have emerged as the main challengers to Liverpool, who are most likely to lift the Premier League trophy after a 30-year long gap.
The in-demand attacker is a man in form, and as per the Mirror, Manchester United are hoping to sign him for a fee of and Lingard moving the other way as well.
The England international, currently one of the key players for Leicester, would see his weekly wages move up from £55,000 to a whopping £150,000 if he agrees to join Manchester United. But it is highly unlikely for the deal to materialise as Brendan Rodgers is not keen to let go of one of his top midfielders.
On the other hand, Leicester City might have to increase the 23-year-old’s wages in order to keep him at the King Power Stadium and match the weekly-wage offered by the Red Devils.
The deal could also depend on where both teams finish at the end of the league as a player like Maddison will be desperate to feature in the Champions League next season.
Signing James Maddison would be a good move by Manchester United
Manchester United have not been consistent enough since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson after winning the league title in 2013.
They are currently placed 5th in the Premier League table, 14 points behind Leicester City, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer heading their re-building project at the moment. Keeping in mind their lack of creativity upfront, James Maddison could be the perfect fit for the club.
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As far as Jesse Lingard is concerned, the attacking midfielder failed to record a single goal or assist in the whole of 2019, and it is crystal clear why Solskjaer is looking for a replacement.
With Paul Pogba often forced to play a holding role at the club, the team has been lacking players with vision and innovation. The likes of Fred, Nemanja Matic, Andreas Perreira, and Scott McTominay are not amongst the best creators, which is the main reason why goals have dried up for the Premier League outfit despite Solskjaer being an attack-minded gaffer.
Manchester United have a pretty good forward line with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Daniel James all having an eye for goal. But the supply line, apart from Paul Pogba, is not up to the mark and James Maddison could fill that void without a shadow of a doubt.
Maddison, still developing, also has age on his side and could become a top player for United if he follows the footsteps of former teammate Harry Maguire.