Leicester City experienced a significant exodus of talent following their relegation from the Premier League in the 2022/23 season.
Youri Tielemans departed for Aston Villa on a free transfer, marking the end of his four-year spell at Leicester. Ayoze Perez, who has been excelling in the Champions League with Villarreal this season, also left for Real Betis on a free, alongside several other high-profile exits.
Newcastle secured Harvey Barnes for approximately £39 million, while Tottenham completed a £40 million deal for James Maddison, arguably Leicester’s most significant loss.
The Englishman delivered an impressive 10 goals and nine assists during the 2022/23 campaign, even as the Foxes faced relegation. Maddison was expected to make an immediate impact in North London, but injuries have hindered his ability to deliver consistent performances, prompting harsh criticism from one pundit.
Roy Keane rips into former Leicester City star James Maddison:
It has been a challenging season for Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou, with the team currently sitting in 14th place, just 10 points above Leicester.
Maddison has contributed eight goals and four assists in 22 Premier League appearances this term, but the 28-year-old has been sidelined for five matches and is among several Spurs players returning from injury.
Speaking on The Overlap, Roy Keane didn’t hold back when discussing Maddison’s performances, as Gary Neville and Ian Wright debated who would return to bolster Postecoglou’s squad.
“We saw Maddison at Tamworth. He was taken off, Tamworth are Non-League and people say ‘Maddison’s the man’,” Keane said.
“When’s he going to step up to the plate? He got relegated with Leicester, he’ll probably get relegated with Spurs.”
How Maddison’s record at Tottenham compares to Leicester City:
Maddison joined Tottenham with aspirations of competing for European qualification. Instead, Spurs are flirting with the possibility of being drawn into a relegation battle, with just 10 points separating them from the bottom three.
Fortunately, Postecoglou is set to reintegrate Maddison into the squad this weekend as Tottenham prepare to host Manchester United on Sunday.
The Australian manager will be hoping his No. 10 can deliver a moment of brilliance to silence Keane and demonstrate that he is more than capable of rising to the occasion.
As the statistics show, Maddison’s record of 28 goal involvements in 61 appearances for Spurs is respectable, but there is always room for improvement, starting with greater consistency.
