Championship club set £40 million asking price to sell Arsenal linked midfielder: Reports

According to the Daily Mail, Leicester City, who will play in EFL Championship next season, have set a £40 million asking price for Arsenal target James Maddison.

The Foxes dropped down from the Premier League after finishing 18th with 34 points from 38 games. Maddison, one of the team's star players, is in high demand and is expected to seal a move to a Premier League club in the summer.

Arsenal are keen admirers of the 26-year-old attacking midfielder. Due to their relegation, it will be difficult for Leicester City to keep hold of Maddison, who has been at the club since 2018.

Maddison was one of the Foxes' best players this season. He scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 30 Premier League matches. Since joining Leicester from Norwich City, he has scored 55 goals and provided 41 assists in 203 matches.

Aston Villa and West Ham are also interested in signing Maddison, and Leicester City will be hoping that a bidding war can drive up the player's transfer fee.

Arsenal are keen on signing Declan Rice

Another England international who looks set to make a move in the summer is West Ham's Declan Rice. Arsenal are keen on signing the holding midfielder as they target reinforcements in their midfield. Apart from the Gunners, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are also interested in signing Rice.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg reported that Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel is a keen admirer of Rice. The Bavarians reportedly had a meeting with Rice in London recently.

Rice has been excellent for West Ham in recent seasons. He has scored five goals and provided four assists in 49 matches across competitions this season. Since making his first team debut for the Hammers in 2017, Rice has made 244 appearances, scoring 15 goals and providing 14 assists.

The 24-year-old is one of the best players in his position, which is why he has attracted interest from European giants like Arsenal, Bayern, and Manchester United. Any potential suitor, though, might need to break the bank as a deal for Rice is expected to cost around €100 million.