Spurs could land dream Maddison replacement in special £41m PL star

As it was last year, this season is shaping up to be another inconsistent campaign for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have looked sensational in some games, like against Manchester United and Aston Villa, but utterly woeful in others, like against Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.

The Australian has managed to turn his team into one of the most entertaining and aesthetically pleasing sides in the country, but until he can iron out their tendency not to turn up in certain games, his record of winning a trophy with every team he’s managed is under serious threat.

That said, it does feel like with a few more transfer windows under his belt and the chance to make the team his own completely, he’ll be able to build something special in N17. However, that might mean cutting his losses on several of his current stars, including James Maddison, who could be replaced in the future.

The James Maddison conundrum

So, the first thing to say is that Maddison is a genuinely talented footballer who, on his day, can be one of the best attacking midfielders in the country.

For example, in his final campaign for a Leicester City side that was ultimately relagated, he managed to rack up a seriously impressive haul of ten goals and nine assists in 32 appearances, equating to a goal involvement every 1.68 games.

Moreover, he started last season like a house on fire, scoring three goals and providing five assists in his first ten league games for Postecoglou’s Spurs, but therein lies one of his most significant issues: inconsistency.

Despite looking utterly world-class for the first third of last season, he ended the year with a rather meagre haul of four goals and nine assists, meaning in his final 18 league games, he practically disappeared, scoring just one goal and providing three assists.

This year has seen his numbers get a little better, with three goals and four assists in 15 appearances across all competitions.

However, over the last month or so, he has been taken out of games at half-time, like he was against West Ham United, or been made to start on the bench, as he did against Ipswich Town and Aston Villa.

Moreover, alongside losing his place in the Lilywhites’ starting lineup, the former Foxes star also remains out of the England set-up, and considering the number of injuries he’s suffered over his career and the fact he’s about to turn 28, it does feel like his chance to make it at the top of the Premier League, and the international level is starting to fade away.

So, while it’s harsh, it might be time for Spurs to sign an up-and-coming replacement for the Englishman, and based on reports in recent weeks, it looks like they might just do that.

The player who could replace Maddison

The talented youngster who could be Spurs’ ideal replacement for Maddison is Brighton & Hove Albion ace Facundo Buonanotte, who, according to a report out of Spain late last week, is of serious interest to the North Londoners.

The good news is that, according to the report, the Seagulls are willing to sell the promising midfielder for around €50m, which is about £41m, but the bad news is that Leicester City are also incredibly keen on the Argentine.

The 19-year-old is currently on loan with the Foxes and, like Maddison before him, has impressed the fans and hierarchy with his mature and creative performances in attacking midfield and out on the right.

For example, despite still being just a teenager and playing for one of the weakest teams in the league, the Pérez-born “risk-taker”, as dubbed by manager Steve Cooper, has already scored three goals and provided two assists in just ten league appearances, eight of which have been starts, meaning he’s currently averaging a goal involvement every other game.

Moreover, if you still need convincing that the exciting prospect could be one of football’s future stars, you just need to listen to Argentine and Premier League great Carlos Tevez, who said the youngster “reminds me of Messi” a few years ago.

Ultimately, it would represent something of a financial gamble to sign such an expensive youngster.

However, he has already shown that the big stage doesn’t frighten him, and with Maddison struggling to even get into Postecoglou’s team at the moment, it feels like it’s time to look for fresh talent who can develop under and be moulded by the Australian. Therefore, Spurs should sign Buonanotte in 2025 before someone else does.

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