James Maddison transfer links have resurfaced and if the rumours become a reality, the 25-year-old could become Tottenham's seventh signing of the summer. Antonio Conte has already welcomed Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence to his squad, ahead of the 2022/23 season.
There is still room for improvement in the Spurs side and this could come in the form of more new arrivals. Maddison has previously been linked with a move to N17 and these links came alongside potential Youri Tielemans and Christian Eriksen deals this summer, with Eriksen eventually signing for Manchester United.
Attacking midfielder Maddison made 35 Premier League appearances last season, starting in 28 of them and making 20 goal contributions. He featured in six different positions last season so would offer versatility for Conte, allowing for rotation when needed.
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Tottenham already have a strong midfield quartet in the squad, with Bissouma being added to the trio of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Rodrigo Bentancur. However, adding a more attacking presence like Maddison into the central midfield position, would only be a boost.
Leicester aren't likely to sell the 25-year-old unless they receive an offer which is too good to turn down, so it may not be the most likely to deal to happen. However, Maddison may be encouraged to make the move, based on his comments in 2020.
"I think with Leicester, we were so close to Champions League football last season and when I was a kid, we used to have Champions League nights and I always wanted to play in the Champions League," he admitted.
"We missed out last year unfortunately but that European aim is a steady process. We are on a journey with the manager and the squad. You can’t just jump. Champions League football would be lovely but as cliché as it sounds, we need to take it game by game.
“Personally, I just want to keep getting better. I feel as though I am getting better with each season. More experience, more maturity and my numbers have been going up each season at Leicester. Hopefully, I can improve on that again," Maddison added.
The Foxes haven't made it into the Champions League since the England international's comments and finished just outside the European places last season. On Saturday, Brendan Rodgers' side drew to Leuven in a pre-season friendly, but he made a positive admission about Maddison.
"James Maddison, it’s the best I’ve seen him, in the three-and-a-half years I’ve been at Leicester. He looks now really physically strong, technically confident and tactically, his view of the game is outstanding," he explained to LCFCTV.
This is great news for Rodgers and Leicester fans, but could it mean that it is time for the 25-year-old to move on? If Maddison is continuing to improve and has previously spoken about his desire to play in the top European competition, would it not be best for him to make the step-up and move to a club who can offer him Champions League football?
Not only is this something Tottenham could offer but Conte has shown this summer that he is building a solid squad, who will hopefully go on to have a successful 2022/23 campaign. Surely this is something that would be attractive to Maddison - top facilities, a world-class manager and the making of a great team.
However, deals aren't as easy as that. All parties have to agree on a fee, contract length and weekly wage. So the Maddison move would likely be a difficult one to get over the line but if it did, it could be a boost for everyone involved.
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