SAINTS are set to miss out on Norwich attacking midfielder James Maddison after the 21-year-old picked Premier League rivals Leicester City over a switch to St Mary's. 

The Foxes and Saints were neck-and-neck in the race for the highly-rated former Coventry man, but it is former St Mary's chief Claude Puel who has seemingly won the race for Maddison. 

Both clubs had reportedly had offers of £22m accepted by the Canaries and it was left to Maddison to decide where he'd prefer to move to.

The midfielder scored 15 goals and tallied eight assists with the Championship side last term and has attracted great interest from Premier League clubs this summer as a result. 

He made a breakthrough into the England Under-21 set-up last term, getting the call-up for the first time last November before making his debut against Ukraine in a 2-0 win. 

Maddison is now said to be set to complete his move to the King Power Stadium in the next couple of days. 

It is now a matter of agreeing personal terms and undergoing a medical. 

Saints must now turn their attentions to other targets in the transfer window.