Newcastle make James Maddison transfer their No1 priority as Eddie Howe goes back in for Leicester star

NEWCASTLE have made James Maddison their No1 transfer priority, according to reports.

The Magpies tried to sign the playmaker last summer with bids of £40million and £45m.

However, Maddison stayed put at Leicester and has been in red-hot form this season with seven goals and four assists earning him a place in Gareth Southgate's England World Cup squad.

But the 26-year-old has not played since November 12 due to problems with his knee and has seen a specialist to get on the pitch for his struggling Foxes side.

However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says the Toon are preparing to go back in for Maddison this summer when he moves into the final 12 months of his King Power contract.

Asked about Newcastle's links with Maddison and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Romano told : "I think that Milinkovic-Savic will stay in Lazio until the end of the season.

"Lazio wants to extend Milinkovic-Savic's contract, so it will be very difficult to sign him but he is a very good player. Very underrated in my opinion.

"Newcastle's priority is James Maddison from Leicester.

"They really love him but it will probably not be a possibility to sign him in January.

"I think they will attack the Maddison situation again in the summer.”

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Southgate appeased the cries of fans and pundits across the country by taking Maddison to Qatar alongside Toon trio Nick Pope, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier.

However, he did not play a single minute as he remains stuck on just one England cap from way back in 2019.

The playmaker will be desperate to recover from his ongoing knee injury with Brendan Rodgers feeling the pain of having his creative star missing.

The Foxes have lost all four Premier League matches since the World Cup and now sit just two points above the relegation zone.

By contrast, Eddie Howe's Newcastle are flying high with the Saudi owners well ahead of schedule to get the club competing with England's elite clubs once again.

The Magpies are third, just one point behind Manchester City and well on course for Champions League qualification.