Rodgers: Maddison ready to stay on learning curve with Leicester
James Maddison makes his first return to former club Norwich City tonight, with his current manager Brendan Rodgers insisting the midfielder can further his career by staying at Leicester City.
Maddison, who made a £21million move in June 2018, is now an England international and in the frame for the Euro 2020 squad. Manchester United and Arsenal are among the list of his admirers.
The 23-year-old is in advanced talks over a new contract with the Champions League chasers and negotiations are close to completion. “There are ongoing talks with the club and his representatives, and I am hopeful it will be done,” said Rodgers. “The boy is very happy, he wants to be here and he sees this as the club he can develop at.
“He is on a great learning curve and is a player who wants to get to the very highest level. He has made a rapid rise from League One into the Premier League and he is constantly developing.”
Maddison will be assured of a warm reception at Carrow Road tonight, after making a huge impact under Norwich head coach Daniel Farke.
He scored 14 goals and delivered eight assists in his final campaign, and was named in the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Championship team of the season. Rodgers said: “When I have spoken to James, he will always be grateful for the opportunity he got there because he was a young player out of League One. I also know his sale allowed Norwich the opportunity to bring in finance to stabilise the club, so it probably worked well for both.
“But in football you can’t really have sentiment and he will want to do his best for Leicester City. We’ve been a little inconsistent over these past few weeks and we want to get back on track.”
Leicester remain third in the table, despite picking up only 12 points from 11 games, but can extend their lead over fifth-placed Manchester United to 12 points with victory over the bottom club.
Farke is keen for Norwich to replicate Leicester’s unexpected escape from relegation in 2015. Norwich have won just four times in 27 attempts on their Premier League return. Yet that was exactly the number of victories Leicester had managed this time five years ago before they won seven of their last nine games to stay up.
“I remember it,” Farke said. “It was a great run and shows that anything is possible; everyone was writing them off. On a good day every team can win points against the best teams. We know we are not the favourite but we have a chance.”
Sam Byram is out for the season with a hamstring injury and fellow defender Christoph Zimmermann is ruled out tonight. Winger Onel Hernandez faces around two months on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery.
Norwich City (probable, 4-2-3-1) Krul; Aarons, Godfrey, Hanley, Lewis; Tettey, Mclean; Buendia, Duda, Cantwell; Pukki. Leicester City (probable, 4-1-4-1) Schmeichel; Ricardo, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell; Choudhury; Praet, Tielemans, Maddison, Barnes; Vardy.
Referee Craig Pawson (Sheffield).