TOTTENHAM have emerged as Newcastle's biggest rivals in the summer battle for James Maddison, with Ange Postecoglou identifying the Leicester City playmaker as a top target after his appointment earlier this week and Spurs readying an early move.

Maddison will leave Leicester this summer after the Foxes suffered relegation to the Championship, with Newcastle poised to make another move for a player who has been on Eddie Howe's radar since last summer.

Leicester have previously valued Maddison at around £60m but will have to settle for a lower fee given their relegation and the fact the England international is moving into the final year of his contract.

Newcastle will look to use the lure of Champions League football to tempt the 26-year-old to Tyneside but, due to financial fair play restrictions, are unlikely to be able to match Tottenham's wage offer, despite the fact Spurs are not playing in any European competitions next season.

Postecoglou's priority this summer is keeping hold of Harry Kane, who is a target for Real Madrid after Karim Benzema's Saudi move, but regardless of what happens with the England captain, the new Spurs boss will be backed as he looks to overhaul a squad that woefully underachieved last season.

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Spurs have long admired Maddison but so too has Howe. Newcastle had two bids rejected by Leicester last summer and the midfielder was again on the Magpies' wishlist in January but the Foxes, who were battling relegation at the time, made it clear they had no intention of losing Maddison in the winter window.

Following relegation, Leicester are now set for an exodus of stars, with Harvey Barnes, who is also of interest to Newcastle, another player set to leave.

But it's Maddison who's a top target for the Magpies.

Quizzed on the midfielder earlier this season, Howe said: "I have full respect for him and his abilities. I have seen him grow from a Football League player to a Premier League player.

"He has been brilliant. He has been a great advert for the Premier League, but he is a Leicester City player and I fully respect that. I'd never talk about another contracted player coming here, but he is a player I do respect."

Newcastle have also been linked with Youri Tielemans, who is a free agent after his contract expired at Leicester. Aston Villa are set to make a summer move for the midfielder.