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Manchester City: Noel Whelan urges the club to sign James Maddison
Manchester City should sign James Maddison as a replacement for Bernardo Silva, according to former BBC radio pundit Noel Whelan.
The Lowdown: Silva’s future in doubt?
The Portugal playmaker’s contract with City is not due to expire until the summer of 2025, but there has been talk about him leaving the Etihad Stadium, with his future said to be up in the air prior to the January transfer window.
The Sky Blues rejected a late loan proposal from Barcelona for the 28-year-old, although his long-term future at the club may still be in doubt, and Maddison has been identified as a potential target at the end of the season.
The Latest: Maddison backed as ‘great replacement’
Whelan was speaking to Football Insider about the impact that the Leicester City ace could have at the Etihad if Pep Guardiola‘s side were to land him.
The former Leeds striker said: “I think if you’re going to let someone like Bernardo Silva go, you have to match that creativity. James Maddison certainly does that.
“Silva is someone you can sell on for a lot of money, whereas you could get Maddison relatively cheap because of the contract. In my eyes that would be good business.
“I think Maddison would be a great replacement. Playing for Man City would enhance his game, as well – I think he’d go to a new level.”
The Verdict: Get it done?
The Englishman has previously been hailed as an ‘elite baller‘ by some members of the media, and he has been in fantastic form with the Foxes this season. He has weighed in with eight goals and four assists in 15 Premier League outings, most recently scoring in yesterday’s 4-2 win against Aston Villa.
Despite playing in a lower-placed team, the 26-year-old has amassed far more goal contributions than Silva in the current campaign, with the Portugal international only scoring twice in the top flight across 20 appearances, also getting five assists.
Maddison is also two years younger than the current Manchester City player, and with the Englishman’s contract expiring at the end of next season, the Sky Blues will be in a strong negotiating position with Leicester in the summer.
As such, the Foxes maestro should be one of Guardiola’s top targets in the next transfer window, as he could be the perfect candidate to replace Silva if the latter does exit Manchester this year.
