Newcastle United should up the ante in their pursuit of James Maddison and 'put in another offer' as they attempt to lure the Leicester City star to St James' Park in January, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Thanks to a £305million takeover led by the Saudi Arabia-based Public Investment Fund last year, the Magpies are the richest club in world football and head coach Eddie Howe will be given another opportunity to bolster his squad during the winter window.

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What's the latest news involving Maddison?

Newcastle were keen to secure Maddison's services during the summer but, having failed with two bids worth up to £50million, were unwilling to meet the £60million valuation set by Leicester.

However, the creative midfielder has been in fine form since the campaign got underway, breaking into double figures for goal contributions, and it appears the Magpies are still looking to strike a deal.

That is because it is understood that Newcastle have revived their interest in Maddison and are mulling over whether to test Leicester’s resolve by lodging a third offer during the winter transfer window.

There is a possibility that Tottenham Hotspur will also enter the race for the 25-year-old's signature as the north Londoners seriously considered making a move ahead of the summer's September 1 deadline.

Maddison is set to enter the final 18 months of his £110,000-per-week contract in January, leaving Leicester in a precarious position.

Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know

What has Dean Jones said about Maddison?

Jones has urged Newcastle to head back to the negotiating table and look to reach an agreement for Maddison at the third time of asking.

The journalist believes meeting Leicester's demands would leave the one-cap England international with a difficult choice to make, particularly after striking up a fruitful relationship with Foxes chief Brendan Rodgers.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: "I think they should probably put in another offer in January just to see whether they can do this, especially if they know there are other clubs like Tottenham watching this situation.

"It'll be a really interesting one for him to think about and it will test his loyalty to Brendan Rodgers."

Will it be easy to sign Maddison in January?

Leicester will not want to see Maddison depart midway through the season and there is every chance that his price tag will increase further if he makes it into the England squad for the upcoming World Cup.

The Foxes have also been attempting to tie the former Norwich City man down to a new contract for a number of months and Newcastle's task would become even more tricky if he were to sign on the dotted line.

Dan Ashworth - who has played a key role in the Magpies' recruitment drive since his appointment as the club's sporting director in June - will find it difficult to persuade Leicester into doing business while Maddison is in such good form, particularly considering Rodgers has described him as 'outstanding'.

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