Rodgers is Madd keen to keep James
BRENDAN RODGERS is braced for yet more interest in James Maddison but is keen to avoid losing another key name.
Maddison has shone with five goals and two assists this season, despite Leicester being in the bottom three.
Newcastle’s £50million bid for the midfielder was rejected in the summer but Leicester did sellWesley Fofana to Chelsea for £75m.
Foxes manager Rodgers fears interest in another of his prize assets is inevitable.
Talks with the 25-year-old over a new deal at the King Power have begun, but Rodgers, ahead of today’s trip to Bournemouth, said: “I can only focus on him day by day.
“It’s only natural you want your best players to be here but we keep losing them.
“The beauty of James is it hasn’t affected him. That’s where you see the level of maturity. But he’s also a realist.”
Rodgers believes the case for Maddison to go with England to theWorld Cup is huge.
He said: “He has everything to be an outstanding international footballer – technique, with a view of the game that is at the highest level. I’m not blind to it as well – I’ve worked with many world-class players.”
Bournemouth caretaker boss Gary O’Neil is confident the goals will come.
O’Neil has overseen four games unbeaten since the Cherries sacked Scott Parker after their 9-0 thrashing by Liverpool in August.
Yet only against Nottingham Forest did they win and they have not scored at home since the opening day of the season.
But O’Neil said: “The boys have brought something in the last few weeks that has given us a chance to be competitive in every game.”