James Maddison, Spurs, Tottenham, Premier League
Journalist Pete O’Rourke has backed Leicester City midfielder James Maddison to fill the creative void that Christian Eriksen left at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Lowdown: Spurs’ interest in Maddison
According to FA Registered Intermediary Paul O Keefe, Spurs were ‘very seriously considering’ making a move for the 25-year-old this summer, with Antonio Conte keen on bringing a new number 10 to Hotspur Way.
However, the Lilywhites were unwilling to match the Foxes’ £70m valuation of the attacking midfielder, so a move failed to materialise.
Despite this, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has conceded that a number of Premier League clubs – reportedly including Tottenham – will reignite their interest in the playmaker in January.
The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim
O’Rourke thinks that Maddison could fill the creative void left by Eriksen at Hotspur Way after the Dane departed the club in January 2020 in order to join up with Serie A giants Inter Milan.
Speaking with GiveMeSport, the journalist claimed of the Foxes star: “His stats and numbers for Leicester this season have been superb…so, I think he could possibly go in and fill those boots of Christian Eriksen that Spurs have lacked since his departure.”
The Verdict: He’d be perfect
With Conte searching for a new number 10, Maddison’s attacking qualities would certainly encompass what the Italian is looking for in a creative playmaker for Tottenham.
As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the midfielder ranks in the 96th percentile for non-penalty goals, the 88th percentile for assists and the 86th percentile for shots total.
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Hailed for his ‘extraordinary numbers’ in a Leicester shirt by BBC pundit Gary Lineker in reaction to a tweet that, prior to this weekend, only Erling Haaland (17) has produced more goals and assists in the Premier League than the Englishman’s 14 since 11 May, Maddison has proven himself capable of performing at the highest level.
Therefore, if the Foxes were to lower their somewhat steep valuation of the player, he would seem the perfect player for Spurs to target as a throwback to the formidable creative presence that Eriksen once was in N17, where he registered 90 assists in a Lilywhites shirt.
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