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Norwich City’s coveted starlet James Maddison is priceless to Daniel Farke
James Maddison is likely to be the subject of fresh transfer speculation in coming weeks. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
James Maddison is priceless to Daniel Farke but the Norwich City head coach knows his prized asset will be in demand this summer.
Farke is happy to leave the telephone numbers to sporting director Stuart Webber but after losing Alex Pritchard in January he is no rush to wave Maddison goodbye.
Leicester City was the latest Premier League club linked to the highly-rated England Under-21 international over the weekend after his 15th goal of the season.
The Foxes have been touted with a £17m move in the summer, after a January transfer window when the midfielder's name was never far from the football gossip columns.
'No, there is no sum or figure. For me, he has the highest value,' said Farke.
'I am not naïve. If Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain want to buy him there can be a solution but he has been outstanding.
'For me, one of the best players in the Championship.
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'He is nominated for the best young-player. I have asked him is that just a category for him because it should be the best player, not the best young player. He should be nominated for one of the best players.
'His value is unbelievably high but it is not for me to talk about a sum.
'That is a topic for the board and our sporting director.
'I don't want to speculate about a sum. If we have the chance to keep him, we will try to do that. There is no sum, £40m or whatever, no chance.
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'Life is too short to always be concerned who will leave the club.
'Live in the moment, try to get results and of course plan for the mid and long term. In professional football I have learnt not to think about what can happen in two or three months. We enjoy having James or Josh Murphy being on fire and having some brilliant young lads.
'We try to build on this but it is part of the business that one or two will leave us in the summer.
'I hope not our most important players but we want to find some good players.'
Scottish international Kenny McLean is already on board.
'Big compliments to Stuart (Webber). I think he is a really quality player,' he said.
'My honest opinion is the situation we had last summer, when I had to learn about my new players and we saw a lot of experienced players leave, was much more difficult.
'Of course we have some work to do this summer but it won't be as busy as the last two transfer windows. We have a group we can count on.'
