Newcastle may have pulled off masterstroke as James Maddison swap possibility opens up | Football | Sport
Newcastle may have pulled off a masterstroke after recalling goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from Manchester United. The Slovakia international had been at Old Trafford on loan since the start of September but could now form part of a potential swap deal for Leicester playmaker James Maddison.
Newcastle were battling to avoid relegation to the Championship at this time last year. But fast forward 12 months and the Magpies are fighting for Champions League qualification after rising to third in the Premier League table.
The Tynesiders have lost just one of their 17 matches this season and have already beaten the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Everton. But to secure a top-four finish they may have to bolster their squad this month. And they have been heavily linked with Maddison, who has bagged seven goals and four assists in 13 top-flight matches this campaign.
Maddison only has 18 months remaining on his Leicester contract after putting pen-to-paper on a new deal in 2020. So the Foxes could be tempted to cash in on their prized asset. But Newcastle will have to stump up a huge transfer fee to land their man as he is currently regarded as one of the best attacking players in the country.
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Dubravka kept 37 clean sheets in 130 appearances for Newcastle but only took to the pitch twice during his stint at Old Trafford. And the 33-year-old would surely jump at the chance of playing first-team football once again should a move to the King Power Stadium materialise.
Maddison, meanwhile, hasn’t played a competitive match since injuring his knee against West Ham in November. He subsequently went to the World Cup in Qatar with England but failed to make it off the bench amid fitness concerns. And since returning to Leicester, the 26-year-old has been forced to visit a specialist in an attempt to get to the bottom of the problem, missing his team’s recent defeats to Newcastle and Liverpool.
