Manchester City have reportedly suggested that they are prepared to pay €65m (£55.37m) to sign a Tottenham Hotspur star.
Last month, it was revealed that Kevin De Bruyne would be departing the Etihad Stadium at the end of his contract, City having made the decision not to offer him renewed terms.
Given the hole that the Belgium international will leave in Pep Guardiola's squad, much consideration will be given before making a final decision over his replacements.
The likes of Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White and Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz - playmakers of varying qualities - have already been linked with a summer transfer.
However, according to Fichajes, Man City are prepared to put together a big-money proposal for James Maddison.
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The England international is currently facing a period on the sidelines with a knee injury that he sustained against Bodo/Glimt last week.
Nevertheless, the 28-year-old has produced solid numbers during his first two seasons at Spurs, chipping in with 16 goals and 21 assists from 75 games.
As someone with 56 goals and 49 assists in 222 Premier League appearances, Maddison is a proven player at that level, and Guardiola is seemingly willing to add him to his senior ranks.
Whether Spurs would be willing to entertain offers remains to be seen, but a rare opportunity may arise to make a profit on a player approaching his thirties.
Spurs shelled out £40m when they acquired Maddison from Leicester City in 2023, and selling the creator would either free up funds to sign a replacement or fill the financial void that comes with no European football if they fail to win the Europa League.
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Is a deal realistic?
While Maddison's stance is not made clear, the expectation is that he would give serious consideration to any offer made by City.
Despite the suggestion of an extravagant transfer fee, it remains to be seen whether City would commit to such a deal for Maddison.
Guardiola's squad is going through a transitional period with several incomings and outgoings expected during the summer transfer window.
Signing homegrown talent may become a necessity. As it stands, there are only nine players who fit that criteria when it comes to squad registration, but the likes of Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, Jack Grealish, James McAtee and Scott Carson have either been linked with exits or are not viewed as long-term options.
Darren Plant
