Manchester City missed out on a deal to sign James Maddison from Leicester City during the summer transfer window.
It was Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail who claimed that Pep Guardiola was keen on the England international, but Manchester City did not sell enough players in time to strike a deal before Tottenham swooped in to seal a £40m move.
Now, an update on James Maddison might have those at Manchester City kicking themselves…
What’s the story?
Well, the October international break is upon us, and as a result, WhoScored have reflected on the 2023/24 campaign so far.
Interestingly – after making the move to north London – Maddison is ranked above every other player in the Premier League with a 7.76 match rating.
In fact, the Tottenham No.10 is even ranked above Kylian Mbappe, who has averaged a rating of 7.75 in Ligue 1 so far this season.
This comes as no surprise – to us at least – as Maddison has enjoyed a stunning start to life at Spurs.
The 26-year-old has scored two goals while also providing five assists in eight Premier League appearances so far this season, putting Spurs at the top of the table.
James Maddison would have shone at Manchester City
In our view, Maddison’s statistics would be even better had he joined Manchester City.
The Coventry-born maestro is not only impressing in his usual No.10 role, but has floated all over the pitch under Ange Postecoglou, bravely taking the ball from his central defenders before driving forward with it.
This tactical versatility is something Guardiola has made a habit of looking for when it comes to bringing new players to Manchester City in recent years, and the Spaniard has surely taken notice of Maddison’s excellent start to the campaign.
If he maintains this form, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Manchester City make another move next summer.
