James Maddison says he learned to ignore transfer speculation following strong rumours he was set to join Tottenham during his time at Coventry City.
The Leicester City midfielder, who is set to make his senior England debut against Kosovo on Tuesday night, has experienced speculation about his future throughout his career during a rise from Coventry to Leicester, via spells with Norwich City and Aberdeen.
Spurs were linked with a move for Maddison when he was at Norwich, but Leicester ultimately swooped for the playmaker last summer. However, Maddison has now revealed it was during his early days with Coventry that he first heard Tottenham was an option.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Maddison recalled a situation that occurred when he was a teenager at Coventry.
“I once came in from a training season and someone had texted me that they’d seen in the Coventry Telegraph that Maddison was going to Tottenham,” he said. “I texted my agent and said, ‘Am I? Am I going to Tottenham?’ I wasn’t. From then I knew: you just focus on football.”
Maddison’s value is about to get even bigger if he makes his England debut this week. It will be interesting to see if Spurs revive their interest in the 22-year-old at a later date – he would be an ideal long-term replacement for Christian Eriksen.
Tuesday could also give us an opportunity to see how he links up with Harry Kane.
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT MUST BE JAMES GREALISH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why’s that Johnny? Cost? Maddison is much quicker and offers far greater potential.
*Jack Grealish
This rumour is like 2 years old … Bore off
I take Madison who is a “bulldog” on the field all day over Grealish. Jack may have some flair but Madison on the front foot or deep on defense, you feel his presence.
[…] lunch-time kick-off. The playmaker has been linked with Tottenham in the past, recently admitting he had to ask his agent if talk of a move to north London was true during his days with Coventry […]