REPORT: Swap in the making - James Maddison to Newcastle, Martin Dubravka to Leicester City

After a long summer full of rejections and dealing delusional prima-donna agents, Newcastle United might be on the verge of finally adding the final piece of the puzzle: a offensive player in Leicester City’s James Maddison.

Many voices reported yesterday that NUFC and LCFC are getting closer and closer to an agreement for the transfer of the English international Maddison to the Tyneside club before the Premier League season kicks off this weekend.

In a Sky Sports story updated on Tuesday morning, the media outlet is reporting that “Newcastle have made an improved offer in the region of £50m for Leicester midfielder James Maddison” after the Magpies got a first bid rejected last weekend. They also include a relevant nugget of information that shades bright light into the state of affairs by saying that “[Leicester] are believed to value former Norwich man at closer to £60m.”

Another quirk might come from a supposed Leicester interest in Newcastle’s no. 2 goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. As reported by Craig Hope, LCFC might be looking into making a bid for the goalie, which might get factored into the Maddison transfer to lower the cost for Newcastle instead of working on a completely separate deal to acquire the goal stopper.

Leicester’s GK Kasper Schmeichel will undergo a medical with French side Nice in the next 24 hours and is leaving the club, which puts the team at a crossroads when it comes to adding or passing on a proved veteran such as Dubby. That also plays in Newcastle’s favor as they could very well dangle the possibility in front of Brendan Rodgers’ nose to sweeten the Maddison deal a bit and ease the swap—one that, at this point in time, seems to be inevitably happening.

If the difference between Newcastle’s and Leicester’s positions in this negotiation is of just around 10 million, one has to think that the Magpies will end up flexing their economic muscle to make things work and land the final player Eddie Howe asked for entering the transfer window.

Of course, Maddison is far from a bona fide striker or even a winger to foster a one-for-one replacement for Miguel Almirón or Allan Saint-Maximin, but he would boost a midfield trio that includes Bruno and Joelinton but lacks a clear-cut weekly starter to play along the Brazilian Brothers.