EXCLUSIVE: Tottenham submitted a JOINT £50m bid for James Maddison and Harvey Barnes but are rejected by relegated Leicester, who wanted £60m each just a year ago
Tottenham have launched a joint bid for James Maddison and Harvey Barnes after Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League.
The pair are in high demand after a combined 23 goals and 10 assists last season in a struggling side, with Newcastle also interested in both, and West Ham and Aston Villa keeping a close eye on Barnes.
But it is thought Spurs have made the first move, with the combined offer – believed to be in excess of £50m – set to be rejected by Leicester.
Mail Sport reported on 8 June that Spurs had made signing Maddison a priority for this summer, although Newcastle have been closely following the playmaker for the past 12 months and can offer Champions League football.
Maddison only has one year left on his contract, meaning Leicester will need to sell him this summer to get a hefty return. The 26-year-old is currently with the England squad preparing for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta on Friday and North Macedonia on Monday.
Tottenham have made a bid for James Maddison (left) and Harvey Barnes (right) from Leicester
Daniel Levy is looking to revive Tottenham’s attack over the summer after a disappointing season
While Barnes’ deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2025, Leicester’s drop in the Championship means a sharp fall in revenues and player sales are needed to close that gap. Leicester demanded around £60 million for each individual player a year ago, but those figures are unlikely to be met this time.
Meanwhile, Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca has held talks with Leicester to become their new manager, although Pep Guardiola is keen to keep the Italian on his staff.
The Foxes have been without a permanent boss since they fired Brendan Rodgers on April 2. Dean Smith was provisionally in charge for the last eight games of the season, but could not keep up with Leicester.