Let's be honest, James Maddison has, on occasions, been a bit of a prat in his younger years. Haven’t we all?
His teenage tweets about Gareth Bale being a monkey were offensive and, contrary to what the ever-diplomatic Gareth Southgate strenuously insists, there is evidence to suggest the England manager might, at times, have considered Maddison a bit of a wrong ‘un.
Although he selected Tottenham’s new signing for his World Cup squad at the end of last year, that might still be the case. Maddison is no Mason Mount, in Southgate’s eyes, that is for sure.
If Mount had pulled out of an international squad through illness, it is unlikely he would watch an England game in a local casino, fiddling with a stack of chips (the gambling variety, although the edible variety might have followed), as Maddison did back in November, 2019.
There was all sorts of laughable nonsense trotted out to explain that scenario four years ago but no-one believed anything other than the explanation that Maddison was a bit of a scallywag, a bit of a lad, a lovable rogue.
And he still might be. In fact, in these days of young footballing automatons, let’s hope he is. But when Maddison spoke to the media in Qatar ahead of a World Cup in which he would play no part, he gave one of the best interviews of the tournament.
Insightful, amusing, eloquent, intelligent, mature. That last word is key. Not everyone can be a teenager going on mid-twenty, as Jude Bellingham is. Some are mid-twenty going on teenager, as Maddison was.
And there is a small part of everyone that should not want Maddison to grow up. But Maddison HAS matured as a person and as a player. At the age of 26, maybe he has grown up.
In Leicester City’s doomed season of struggle, Maddison was head and shoulders above anyone else in that squad.
Spurs and Daniel Levy get regular criticism for their transfer policy - a lot of it justified - but the £40million for Maddison, a truly gifted footballer, is a modern-day snip. It is the signing of the summer.
The statistics can back it up, if you are that sort of type. Ten top-flight goals last season, nine Premier League assists, loads of chances created, blah, blah, blah. But statistics don’t even get close to reflecting Maddison’s maverick talent.
Mount is a couple of years younger than Maddison and is a fine footballer, diligent and with an eye for a pass and a goal. Having said that, Mount has averaged a goal every six games and an assist every five games for Chelsea.
For Leicester City, Maddison averaged a goal every four games and an assist every five games. And still, the price for Mount could end up being £20million more than it was for Maddison.
It is easy to knock Spurs and to knock Daniel Levy but Manchester United are laying out an initial £55million for Mount and Tottenham have Maddison for £40million. One might be a good deal, the other is a great deal.
The fact Maddison has been a bit of a prat in his early years means that new Spurs manager Ange Postecoglu has something of a blank canvas to work with. And if the pair of them hit it off, we could see a work of art.
