Leicester close to signing Norwich midfielder for £24million

Ian Watson

James Maddison has passed a medical at Leicester ahead of his big-money move from Norwich.

The Foxes have agreed a fee of close to £24million for the Canaries midfielder, and are now finalising the deal, Press Association Sport understands.

A switch to the King Power Stadium has always been Maddison’s preference, despite interest from Southampton and Everton, as it offers him the chance to be closer to his Coventry home.

England Under-21 star Maddison scored 15 goals for Sky Bet Championship Norwich last season and is one of the most highly-rated players outside the Premier League.

Norwich have been looking for over £20m for Maddison as the club continue to balance the books having failed to return to the top flight since suffering relegation in 2016.

Leicester held an interest in Jack Grealish but Maddison has been their first choice and the Aston Villa playmaker was not eager to join them.

The Foxes are preparing to lose Riyad Mahrez to Manchester City and signing Maddison would be part of a squad revamp at the King Power Stadium.

They are backing boss Claude Puel despite doubts over his future at the end of last season after the club missed out on European football.

Leicester finished ninth in the Premier League and are expected to start phasing out some of their title winners from 2016.

Robert Huth is leaving on a free transfer, while Wes Morgan will be 35 at the end of next season and Christian Fuchs will head to America, where his family is based, in 2019.

Maddison’s exit will be a record sale for the Canaries, who have already sold Josh Murphy to Cardiff for £11m this month.

Marley Watkins joined Bristol City for a fee rising to £1m while they are still keen to get Matt Jarvis, Michael McGovern, Steven Naismith and Russell Martin off the wage bill.

Coventry will be due a slice of the Maddison fee thanks to a sell-on clause in the deal which took him to Carrow Road in 2016.