‘From what I hear’ - Ex-West Ham man reveals £60m star’s view on Spurs amid Newcastle interest

Maddison is a top transfer target for both Newcastle and Spurs this summer though both are keen to avoid meeting Leicester’s £60million valuation. The 26-year-old is set to leave the King Power this summer after his 10 goals and nine assists in the Premier League last season weren’t enough to stop the side dropping to the Championship.

Maddison has been on holiday in Ibiza over the past week following international duty with England. The squad included Newcastle starsKieran Trippier and Callum Wilson, both of whom have a good relationship with the attacking-midfielder.

But Spurs are leading the race for Maddison’s signature with advanced negotiations progressing after new manager Ange Postecoglou personally requested for his new club to sign the player. Maddison and Postecoglou both share the same agency.

And Maddison has supposedly been impressed by the former Celtic boss, according to talkSPORT pundit Trevor Sinclair.

“From what I hear, Ange Postecoglou impresses him,” said the former West Ham United and England player. “But he’s got to understand that if he wants to play for Postecoglou at Spurs, he’s got to work off the ball as well, not just on it.

“That’s an area where I feel if he wants to get to the next level he could work harder off the ball, so if he wants to go and work for Postecoglou he’s got to put in the hard yards.”

Both Newcastle and Spurs are in need of reinforcements in the attacking-midfield positions as they look to build on very different 2022-23 seasons. The Magpies upset the odds and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in over 20 years while Spurs missed out on Europe entirely following a poor run of form.

Still, Sinclair believes Maddison would slot in nicely at Spurs.

“Historically Tottenham have always had a ball-playing midfielder,” he added.

“Someone who can hold onto the ball, who is technical, can look after it and try things, not be too safe, and I think that’s James Maddison.

“I think he would be a massive addition for them, for anyone in the league as a squad player, but for Spurs I think he could go right in there and be a starter.”

The Maddison to Spurs agenda has already been pushed on talkSPORT by former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour, who said earlier this month: “Newcastle have got more players in that [attacking-midfield] position if I’m being honest.

“But [Spurs] are crying out for an attacking-midfielder. They have got [Pierre-Emile] Hojbjerg, they have got [Oliver] Skipp. They are very good players and hard-working.

“But they just need someone who is a ball player, badly. I would say Maddison would make a bigger impact at Spurs, wouldn’t he, than Newcastle?

“Newcastle’s midfield is a lot stronger. Spurs are dying out for a player like Maddison.”

Newcastle are set to confirm the signing of midfielder Sandro Tonali from AC Milan for a reported £52million and will turn their attention to RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai should Spurs successfully swoop for Maddison.