James Maddison has quickly established himself as a key player for Tottenham Hotspur after joining them in the summer. Just how well is he doing at his new club, though?

Football FanCast has everything you need to know about Maddison in the 2023/24 Premier League season. Here you can find his key stats, his current valuation, as well as his favourite opponents, and so much more.

How many goals and assists does James Maddison have?

Ahead of Spurs' clash against Liverpool, Maddison has played six Premier League fixtures for Tottenham since arriving from Leicester City in the summer. He's actually matching that tally in goal contributions.

The English playmaker has scored twice so far – both away from home in wins against Burnley and Bournemouth. It's his assists that are standing out, though.

Maddison has four in total, including two against Arsenal in the north London derby. His other two actually came in one game, too – the season opener against Brentford.

That actually creates a strange little quirk. All of Maddison's goals and assists have come away from home, which is very unusual for any player – especially one with so many goal contributions.

Games

6

Goals

2

Assists

4

What is James Maddison best at?

This one requires a little bit of explanation – so stick with us. Maddison is thriving in the department of shot-creating actions.

SCAs are those that lead to your team having a shot. They don't necessarily have to be an assist – they could even be a shot you have that a teammate gets a rebound from before shooting themselves, or a dribble that breaks down a defence and leads to a shot.

The important thing to note is that it is any 'action' (such as a pass, dribble or shot) within two 'actions' preceding a shot.

It's a way to measure just how creative players are and how often they're directly involved in buildups that lead to shots. Maddison currently leads the Premier League in shot-creating actions after six games.

The Englishman has 44 – 11 more than second-placed Rodri. It's worth noting just how large that gap is, too, as the next largest is a mere three from third place to fourth.

We should also point out that it's working. Maddison also leads the Premier League in goal-creating actions, which, as you might have guessed, are shot-creating actions that have led to goals. On top of it all, he's leading both stats on a per-90 basis, so it's not merely a case of him playing more minutes.

James Maddison

44

7.86

Rodri

33

6.19

Bukayo Saka

33

5.53

Martin Odegaard

30

5.09

Dominik Szoboszlai

30

5

Enzo Fernandez

29

5.15

Eberechi Eze

29

4.83

Dejan Kulusevski

28

4.74

Bruno Fernandes

28

4.67

Pedro Neto

28

4.67

Stats via FBref; correct as of 28th September 2023.

What is James Maddison's value?

Well, that's a difficult one to answer right now. The 'easy' answer is £40m as that's what Tottenham paid Leicester City to sign him this summer. But that price was almost certainly lower than Maddison's actual value, given the Foxes were relegated last season.

FootballTransfers.com, a site that attempts to scientifically work out a player's value through data, has Maddison down as a £40m player still. They believe his sale price accurately reflected what he can do and feel he's the fourth-most valuable player in the Tottenham squad right now.

We think that maybe undersells Maddison a little and it's clear that his early-season form will dramatically increase his valuation if he keeps it up. By Christmas, we could be looking at one of the more valuable midfielders in the Premier League – if he maintains his form, of course.

How did James Maddison do last season?

Don't let Leicester's eventual relegation fool you – Maddison was excellent last season. The midfielder played in a side that struggled badly, of course, but he still managed to put up very impressive numbers.

In all, Maddison scored 10 (one penalty) and assisted nine times in a relegated side. These weren't 'lucky' numbers, either, as they pretty much match what he did the previous campaign (12 goals, 8 assists).

That certainly reflects well on the player, especially as the more specific stats all remained similar, too. Leicester's relegation certainly wasn't because Maddison struggled – quite the opposite, in fact.

Spurs can feel a little fortunate that dropping down made him easier for them to buy.

Who are James Maddison's favourite opponents?

One team stands out here: Watford. Maddison has only played them seven times, but has somehow scored five and assisted four in that time. Pretty outstanding for a midfielder.

Six of those appearances came in the Premier League for Leicester, including four assists and two goals in his most recent two fixtures. There's a goal in a sole FA Cup meeting, too.

Next is Brentford. Maddison has the same number of overall contributions (four goals, five assists), but in nine games. What's notable here, though, is that in five Premier League meetings with Brentford, the player has either scored or assisted in every single one – including two assists to kick off this season.

After that? Arsenal. Maddison's two assists this season boosted his numbers to two goals and four assists across 10 games. Spurs fans can certainly feel happy with that.

What is James Maddison's best game for Tottenham?

It's difficult to do better than two assists on your debut – but two assists against Arsenal will do it. That's what Maddison managed when Tottenham went to the Emirates in September.

The game finished 2-2 in what was a positive result for Spurs. Maddison walked off the pitch having assisted both, and it's difficult to do much better than that to ingratiate yourself with the new fans.

We won't be surprised, in fact, if that remains Maddison's best game in the Spurs shirt come the end of the season. It'll certainly take something very special to beat it – but we won't put that past him, either.

What is James Maddison's FPL value?

Maddison is currently valued at £7.9m on Fantasy Premier League. That makes him the eighth-most expensive midfielder right now.

That valuation has increased, too, as he kicked off the season at £7.5m. Four assists and two goals have likely bumped up his price.

And for what it's worth, Maddison is currently averaging the seventh-highest number of points per match. That suggests he's a little undervalued in price – especially as Spurs have a fairly nice run of games coming up.

How many FPL points did James Maddison have last season?

Leicester struggled badly last season, but Maddison was still able to be productive. His efforts led to 135 FPL points across the campaign – a decent number, though far down on what he managed the season before.

2021/22 saw Maddison get 181, helped on by 24 bonus points (last season he received a mere nine). You might want to consider that campaign as a better indicator of his potential, then, seeing as Spurs certainly aren't in danger of sliding down the table.

What is James Maddison's match rating?

Different sites have different ways of measuring this – but all are in agreement that Maddison is shining right now.

Sofascore has Maddison down as averaging an 8.03 rating in the Premier League this season. That's the second-highest in the competition, narrowly trailing Manchester City's Rodri (8.05). One more top performance would have them rating him as the league's in-form player.

WhoScored, however, believes Maddison already is. Their 7.92 rating is the highest of any Premier League player and a reasonable distance away from Erling Haaland in second (7.85).

Both sites differ on his best performance, though. Sofascore feels it was his display in the 2-0 win over Bournemouth, in which Maddison got his first Spurs goal. WhoScored, meanwhile, says he was even better against Burnley – the other game in which he scored.

How many Premier League goals and assists does James Maddison have?

Maddison has now played 169 Premier League games, all but six of which came for Leicester City. He's managed to score 45 in that time.

Assists lag marginally behind but not exactly by much. Maddison has managed 38 and that's a number that looks set to climb quite rapidly after his start to life with Tottenham.

What is James Maddison's best season?

Maddison put in a season to remember in 2021/22. Leicester finished eighth that year – a disappointment – but it also saw their playmaker develop into one of the Premier League's most dangerous outlets.

He scored 12 times in the league – his highest at the top level – while also assisting a further eight. That 20-goal mark for contributions is Maddison's best, while he narrowly missed out on matching it in 2022/23 (19).

Of course, his efforts this season could climb past 20. Maddison already has six in his first six Spurs games – and will be hoping to continue that form all season long.

Is James Maddison in the England squad?

Maddison was in the most recent England squad. He made his first appearance in 2019 but didn't play again for his country until 2023.

This has been a hot topic of conversation around the squad as Maddison's efforts have surely deserved more recognition at international level. His 12 goals and 8 assists in 2022 got him into the World Cup squad but he never played. Only this year did he actually make his first start for England.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to cash in on an experienced player who is struggling for form in January, with a fresh report revealing that he’s emerged as a top target for an admirer overseas.

Who is leaving Spurs?

Over the summer, Harry Kane, Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez and Lucas Moura all departed the club on a permanent basis, whilst Djed Spence, Tanguy Ndombele, Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga were sent out on loan for the remainder of the season.

The Lilywhites exits might not stop there with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg attracting interest from Juventus ahead of the new year, not to mention that Hugo Lloris, Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic and Brandon Austin have also been name-checked as players who could be heading for the door (Spurs exit links).

Ange Postecoglou hasn’t yet handed an opportunity to Eric Dier following his arrival in the dugout, with the centre-back having played zero minutes in the Premier League so far this season (WhoScored – Dier statistics), which shows just how much he has fallen significantly out of favour in North London.

The England international will additionally be out of contract at the end of the current campaign (Tottenham contracts), so with the upcoming window set to be the final chance for chiefs to cash in should they not want to risk losing him for free, the 29-year-old is another squad member on the chopping block.

Eric Dier transfer update

According to Italian outlet Tuttosport (via Corriere Giallorosso and Sport Witness) who have shared a transfer update on Eric Dier, Spurs’ defender is a “favourite name” of Jose Mourinho at AS Roma.

The Serie A manager is plotting a reunion with his former stalwart and he is therefore at the top of the list of his options ready to pursue in January. The Tottenham star is “ready to leave” the capital due to his worrying lack of game time and it’s believed that he would “welcome” the move to Italy.

What happened to Eric Dier?

Since joining from Sporting CP back in 2014, Dier has largely been a consistent performer over the years, but it’s obvious to see that his levels have recently dropped, especially last season as he failed to make any kind of positive impact for Spurs.

The Cheltenham-born talent ranked as the club’s 14th best-performing defensive player out of 29 squad members having averaged just 0.9 tackles per game in the top-flight (WhoScored – Tottenham statistics), and was regularly criticised by fans and media alike.

Standing at 6 foot 2, Postecoglou’s outcast is also currently pocketing £85k-per-week – which is the same as Pedro Porro and more than the likes of Brennan Johnson and Micky Van De Ven – so it’s certainly not fair that he is earning the same amount of some of the boss’ genuine first-team stars (Tottenham salaries).

Therefore, Dier, who has been labelled “dreadful” by journalist Josh Bunting, should be removed from the books as quickly as possible so that the board can use the extra cash to generate funds for new signings either at the start of next year or later in the summer.

Four wickets apiece for Reece Topley and Liam Dawson set up an easy Lions victory and left both in good heart for Saturday’s Royal London Cup final

Jon Culley at Wantage Road28-Jun-2018

Reece Topley celebrates a wicket•Getty Images

ScorecardHampshire’s Liam Dawson and Reece Topley readied themselves for Saturday’s Royal London One-Day Cup final at Lord’s by bowling the Lions to a comfortable victory as West Indies A slumped to a third defeat in the Tri-Series.The pair took four wickets each as their opponents were dismissed for a paltry 162 after Steven Mullaney, the Lions captain, had chosen to bowl first on a green-tinged Wantage Road pitch. An unbroken stand of 120 between Tom Kohler-Cadmore (80) and Sam Hain (48) ensured all those who wanted to watch the other England side in action today were showered and changed in plenty of time.The result means that the Lions progress to Monday’s series final at The Oval and there had been a question mark over whether the duo would be available as Hampshire take on Kent at Lord’s with this competition not yet completed. But Lions head coach Mark Ramprakash confirmed that they will be allowed to join their county teammates for practice at Lord’s on Friday.India A, who are all square with the Lions after avenging defeat at Derby last week with an impressively emphatic win at Leicester on Tuesday, will be the other side in the Tri-Series final. Their match with West Indies A at Northampton on Friday is now a dead rubber.Three of Topley’s four wickets came in his opening five overs as the West Indian approach of being aggressive from the start quickly backfired.Jermaine Blackwood, who drove Tom Helm for two boundaries in the Middlesex seamer’s first over, went for a muscular pull against Topley but miscued it horribly and Sam Hain, the outstanding figure in the field for the Lions, took a comfortable catch at point. Likewise, Chandrapaul Hemraj, who had flat-batted Helm for six over square leg, just avoiding Ed Barnard on the boundary, then top-edged one from Topley and Hain made another well judged catch.The only phase in the innings in which West Indies made meaningful progress came after Andre McCarthy had become a third victim for Topley, who was returning to the Lions line-up after being rested for Tuesday’s match against India A.Sunil Ambris and Devon Thomas added 67 without further mishap, but having reached a position from which they might have pushed the accelerator pedal, Ambris spooned a catch straight to mid-off to give the captain, whose teasing medium pace is a regular partnership breaker for Nottinghamshire, a wicket in his third over.With Topley replacing Lancashire’s Matt Parkinson, the Lions had gone with only one spinner this time but Mullaney could not have done better job in giving Dawson the chance to attack, although in the event the left-armer barely bowled a loose delivery and between the 21st and the 37th overs while the two were in tandem there was not one boundary scored.Indeed, Dawson did not concede any boundaries in his full 10 overs, which would have been an achievement in itself in a 50-over match even without his four wickets. As it was he bowled Rahkeem Cornwall, playing back, and (Devon) Thomas, pushing forward, to record a ‘double’ with a west country flavour, before Jomel Warrican holed out to midwicket and Sherman Lewis was trapped in front.In the middle of all that, a piece of sharp and athletic fielding by Hain ran out Raymon Reifer. Topley returned to claim his fourth success when Oshane Thomas skied one to third man.Bizarrely, Kohler-Cadmore could have been caught twice in the first three balls he faced, bowled by the tall pace bowler Oshane Thomas, but both chances were put down, the first – and most straightforward – off a short-pitched delivery that Hemraj should have held at backward square leg. The chance to Blackwood at slip the next ball was more difficult, yet he had both hands on it briefly. Thomas was less than happy.The Yorkshire batsman emphatically put the errors behind him, hitting eight fours and two sixes, one of them out of the ground over the Signal Box, the other landing in the car park behind the Spencer Pavilion. The West Indies A captain made bowling changes as if it were a T20, using eight bowlers in all, none of whom made much difference, although the off-spinner Cornwall could claim an ‘assist’ perhaps, having bowled the ball from which the aforementioned skipper, having failed to make a stumping, recovered the ball to run out Nick Gubbins.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) have announced a further delay in the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, which expired at the end of April. The agreement, which is negotiated every four years and covers player contracts and commercial rights, was due to be signed by Saturday, June 30, but will now be concluded on July 6. An interim agreement has been in place for May and June.Though the talks had hit several snags, mostly as a result of delays but also because of disagreements with CSA, who initially indicated an end to the revenue-sharing model and then backtracked. Now, it appears, recent discussions have gone smoothly. “A lot of progress has been made since CSA and SACA signed an Interim Agreement at the end of April and we have consensus on virtually all of the key aspects,” Tony Irish, the SACA CEO, said. “We are now in the drafting process and have set ourselves a revised joint target of 6 July to complete that and sign the agreements.”There has been no reaction from the player body over the recent lambasting CSA has taken from three of the eight owners of the Global League T20 franchises, despite SACA’s earlier assertions that a functioning 20-over league is imperative to securing player commitment in the country.

Australia’s T20 captain believes they will take confidence from their recent success against England in the shortest format

Melinda Farrell at Edgbaston26-Jun-20181:19

T20 a chance for Australia to ‘strut our stuff’ – Finch

Aaron Finch believes Australia will take confidence from their recent T20 success against England into the standalone fixture at Edgbaston and has said the different format gives his players the opportunity for a fresh start after their 5-0 loss in the ODI series.Australia won the Trans-Tasman T20 Tri-Series earlier this year, beating England twice before going on to defeat New Zealand in the final. They have most of the same squad available at Edgbaston, although Finch is captain in the absence of David Warner, who led them to success in February before his embroilment in the Cape Town saga.”We’ve played really good T20 cricket over the last little while,” Finch said. “That was with Davey as skipper in the T20 tri-series but we’ve got a pretty similar group and the guys are playing some really good cricket in that format. It’s probably a format the guys have played a lot more of in the last 12 months, with Big Bash and IPL and things like that.”It’s just about trying to get some continuity over the next six games and really start to develop a core squad that we can take forward almost with one eye on the 2020 World Cup at home.”Finch has captained Australia in both the 20-over and 50-over formats and there has been speculation he may take the ODI reins should Alex Carey, his vice-captain for this game, be favoured as wicketkeeper over Tim Paine, who struggled with the bat in the series against England and admitted his place would be up for discussion.”Someone asked me about this the other day and I haven’t spoken to Tim about anything like that. I haven’t thought about it to be honest,” Finch said. “If the opportunity came up at some point, having done it a couple of games in New Zealand going back quite a while, if the opportunity is there anyone would love to captain their country but Tim’s the man for the job.”Australia will head home via Zimbabwe for a tri-series also involving Pakistan. While there have been security concerns surrounding the tour, Finch said the players had been briefed by the security team and felt comfortable with arrangements. Along with this one-off fixture, the upcoming matches give Finch a chance to nail down the captaincy.Aaron Finch, Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting chat at training•Getty Images”Yeah I think so,” Finch said when asked. “I think when I had the job last it was one game here and there tacked on to a long tour and it would almost be a heap of guys that ship out and a couple of guys would come in to just play one game here and there.”So I think the amount of T20 that’s coming up, I think most of them are three-game series against other countries so it’s going to be a great opportunity for guys to start to really cement their spot, put their hand up and be the one going forward in their position and just get some continuity with selection and playing more games.”But before that, Australia will be desperately seeking a win to finish a disappointing tour on a high. After England’s last-gasp victory at Old Trafford, Eoin Morgan recalled the way the team’s confidence was affected by a string of losses before the 2015 World Cup. “There was a big mountain to climb,” in terms of belief, Morgan said.But Finch rejected the idea that Australia’s poor ODI form against England – they have lost 10 out of the last 11 contests between the sides – will have a lasting effect.”We’ve just got to start winning, we’ve just got to play better cricket,” Finch said. “I don’t think when we turn up next year for the World Cup there’ll be any mental scars there, they’re probably more for England to be fair. They haven’t won a World Cup and it’s at home so no doubt the pressure will be huge on them.”In the one-day format the confidence was definitely affected, England put us on the back foot from the word go and we weren’t able to catch up. But we’ve had success in this format, from seventh in the world to first or second which is a great achievement and done it with mixed and matched teams. We’re getting more settled. The confidence took a hit in the one-dayers but I don’t think there will be anything to worry about in this format.”

Lionel Messi was fortunate to avoid serious injury after being caught by a reckless studs-up challenge during Inter Miami’s draw with Nashville.

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• Argentine icon in continental action
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• Walked away from game unscathed

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  The incident in question occurred in the 77th minute of a thrilling CONCACAF Champions Cup clash in Tennessee. The Herons trailed that contest by two goals shortly after half-time, but battled back to level matters deep into stoppage-time.

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  Messi hauled Inter Miami back into the game when producing a sublime finish seven minutes into the second-half, before Luis Suarez restored parity in the 95th minute. There is now all to play for in the last-16 encounter heading into a return date at Chase Stadium.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi should be able to figure in that contest, with the Argentine walking away from a high challenge against Nashville that could have left him nursing a lower leg problem. Lukas MacNaughton followed through when clearing the ball midway through the second half, with his studs clattering into Messi’s shin.

Southern Vipers were without Tammy Beaumont after she failed a concussion test following a blow to the head whilst behind the stumps in the first innings

ECB Reporters Network29-Jul-2018
ScorecardEngland left-arm seamer Tash Farrant claimed only the second Kia Super League hat-trick, but it wasn’t enough for the Southern Vipers to secure victory over a buoyant Lancashire Thunder at Liverpool.Last season’s finalists have now lost their last two games as, like the Thunder in their 137 for 6, they stumbled late on pursuing 138.Farrant’s trio was central to the Thunder’s loss of four wickets in eight balls without addition in the 18th and 19th overs as they slipped from 123 for 2.Vipers captain Suzie Bates top-scored with 40, but the visitors slipped from 104 for 2 in the 16th and failed to chase 14 off the last, with offspinner Emma Lamb starring with four late wickets in a four-run win.The Vipers had started their chase without Tammy Beaumont after she failed a concussion test following a blow to the head whilst behind the stumps in the first innings – thought to be when Eve Jones scooped Bates in the 15th over.After Amy Satterthwaite fell to Arran Brindle, Farrant had Jones caught at midwicket by Mignon du Preez with the third ball of the 19th over before Sophie Ecclestone holed out to Bates at long-on.Lamb then skewed to Katie George at point off 22-year-old Farrant, who has played five T20 internationals this year. Yorkshire’s Katherine Brunt took the first hat-trick in 2016 – also against Lancashire.After play was delayed by an hour and the Vipers had elected to bowl, Lancashire paced their innings well to get into position to launch in the last three overs, with opener Jones leading the way with 69 off 65 balls.She posted the Thunder’s highest score in KSL history and shared 64 inside eight overs for the third wicket with Satterthwaite to advance from 59 for 2 after 10 overs on a green looking but true pitch.Jones reached 50 off 48 balls in the 14th over for the Thunder, who won only their second ever KSL game by beating Yorkshire Diamonds on Friday.And their total was only just enough to see off the 2016 champions, who were beaten in the final by Western Storm last year and have now lost two of their three matches this season.The visitors were allowed to replace Beaumont with Paige Scholfield as a concussion replacement.Bates and Danni Wyatt took their side to 43 without loss after six overs of Powerplay and shared 56 inside eight before Wyatt was lbw to Danni Hazell’s offspin.Alex Hartley then had du Preez superbly caught at deep midwicket by Nicole Bolton before Bates, who waited 30 balls for her first boundary, fell to another spinner Ecclestone at 104 for 3 in the 16th.When Lamb had Brindle caught at mid-on and Amelia Kerr caught at long-off in the 17th – a double wicket maiden – the Vipers fell to 107 for 5 to heighten tensions.Ecclestone bowled Farrant and had Sara McGlashan stumped in the penultimate to leave Lamb defending 14 off the last over. And she had Scholfield and Fi Morris, needing five off the last ball, caught on the way to the Thunder’s best figures – 4 for 17.

Tottenham Hotspur are seemingly seeking to build upon their blistering start to the new season, with Ange Postecoglou already outlining his latest transfer target…

Who could Spurs sign in January?

Having already showcased their newfound proficiency in the market last summer, fans would likely blindly follow any decision-making as long as it has been passed by their Australian leader.

After all, the likes of James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have already proved revolutionary acquisitions.

So, despite Football Transfers suggesting that the Lilywhites are very keen on Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips, supporters will likely look for positives to justify their reported interest.

However, it is suggested that they might have to battle with the likes of Everton and Newcastle United, both of whom are interested in the wantaway midfielder.

How good is Kalvin Phillips?

Although opportunities have been limited at the Etihad for the £24m-rated maestro – having made just two Premier League starts since the start of last season – his stint at Leeds United should have provided enough material to suggest that the Yorkshire-born ace can thrive at the elite level.

After all, not only did he shine for his boyhood club, but the 27-year-old also made a splash on the international stage too with England.

Able to screen a back four with ease, but boasting a remarkable passing range capable of unlocking defences from deep, his ability to find teammates in space could prove pivotal in helping Maddison reach even loftier heights, despite the former Leicester City man arguably being the division's most in-form player at the moment.

His 8.09 average rating is indicative of such a notion, as such a figure makes him the second-highest rated in the Premier League, with that buoyed by his seven-goal contributions in eight games, whilst averaging 3.3 key passes and 1.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

The 26-year-old spends games floating around constantly seeking to pick up deadly pockets of space to terrorise the opposition. Were Phillips to be placed just behind him, and allowed to recapture the form that saw him shine under Marcelo Bielsa, it could prove a fine partnership to elevate the maestro once again.

In fact, the Argentine tactician would laud his former midfield star, noting back in 2021: "Kalvin has obtained a prestige that allows him to have bigger influence in the games and his team-mates perceive that capacity. He's improved a lot in the moments of a game and he knows how to find a solution that each action demands.

"He's matured a lot in his interpretation to take the best solution. Kalvin is playing at very, very high levels and has shown that the responsibility doesn't inhibit him – it improves him."

Kalvin Phillips' PL seasons	PL Starts
2023/24	0
2022/23	2
2021/22	18
2020/21	28

During Leeds' first season back in the top flight, Phillips' 7.21 average rating was indicative of a hugely influential player for a club making waves on their big return, as he recorded an 85% pass accuracy alongside 1.2 key passes per game.

Current teammate John Stones would laud such an attribute as recently as June, outlining what he admires most about the midfielder: "Easily his range of passing and how he’s always in the right place on the pitch, his positioning and some of the passes he plays [are] outrageous.”

However, what will certainly help Maddison thrive is the defensive foundation he offered too, also managing 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

All the attributes were once there that would have helped Postecoglou's main man thrive, and if anyone is to usher them back out, it is the former Celtic man.

Glasgow Rangers are now onto their third permanent manager since November 2021 and hopefully Philippe Clement can bring some stability to the Ibrox side.

Despite Michael Beale leading the Gers to an underwhelming start to the campaign, Clement could still realistically win all three domestic trophies if he hits the ground running, but that’s a big if.

Having won three league titles in his native Belgium with Genk and Club Brugge, there is no doubting his winners mentality, but he will have a tough task getting a tune out of some of the players in Glasgow.

Beale’s transfer business has been scrutinised over the previous few weeks and while a rebuild was required at the Light Blues, the former QPR manager spent vast sums of money on players who clearly haven’t lived up to expectations in Glasgow.

This has been a theme since the summer of 2021. Winning the Premiership title during the 2020/21 campaign was meant to usher in a new era of dominance by the Ibrox side, but poor transfer dealings ensured Celtic returned to the summit of Scottish football, and they have remained there ever since.

It hasn’t just been new arrivals who have been disappointing, but also the fact the Gers have moved on various players who have since gone on to shine elsewhere and this has come back to haunt them recently.

Indeed, former manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst sold academy graduate Nathan Paterson in 2022, yet he is now excelling in the Premier League.

How many appearances did Nathan Patterson make for Rangers?

The right-back worked his way from the bottom all the way to the first team during his spell at Rangers, and it looked as though the Old Firm side had an ideal heir to James Tavernier waiting in the wings.

The youngster earned his full debut under Steven Gerrard back in January 2020 against Stranraer in the Scottish Cup and was delighted to make his bow for the club, saying: “It was surreal, walking out in front of 40,000 fans for the club I love, it was just a great feeling.

“Over in Dubai I just did my best, I got a start against Lokomotiv Tashkent and played well. I’d hoped that would be enough to get the starting place against Stranraer.”

Another appearance came in the Europa League and ahead of the title-winning season, the defender was keen to take another step up and challenge Tavernier.

He did make 14 appearances in all competitions and while he couldn’t fully displace the captain, his talent seemed limitless and the club had a diamond that they could develop further.

Despite the topsy-turvy start to the 2021/22 season, plus Gerrard departing in November, Patterson did manage 11 appearances for the club, but it was evident that he wasn’t going to replace Tavernier in the starting lineup anytime soon, despite his prodigious talents.

Patterson played just 27 matches for the Light Blues before a move came which would be too good to turn down.

How much did Rangers sell Nathan Patterson for?

In January 2022, Everton popped up with an offer in the region of £16m for the youngster and having failed with two bids during the 2021 summer transfer window, it was third time lucky for the Toffees.

The offer was clearly too good for Van Bronckhorst to turn down, especially considering he was simply a backup to Tavernier at the time. £16m represented the biggest sale in the Gers' history, yet it still feels like a blunder letting him go.

With the chance to play Premier League football and continue his impressive development, it was certainly a no-brainer for the defender, but it's clear that the Light Blues have missed out, despite receiving a vast sum in order to sell him.

How has Nathan Patterson performed this season?

The £28k-per-week starlet made just one appearance for the Merseyside club following his January move last year before suffering an injury which kept him out of the rest of the season.

With Frank Lampard now at the helm, Everton looked to avoid a repeat of their relegation battle heading into the 2022/23 season and Patterson was determined to shine.

19.8

21.4

1

1

2.6

2

0.6

0.3

4.4

2.6

He ended up featuring 21 times across all competitions while ranking in the top ten across the squad for accurate passes per game and second for tackles per game, indicating that he was certainly trending in the right direction and this has led him to shine under Sean Dyche during the current campaign.

Indeed, Danny Murphy lavished praise on the Scotsman, saying: "He's got this desire to get forward and have an impact on the game, which I think is great. His defensive work is good, you can see the strength to keep the ball under pressure.

"He is a diamond, they really have got themselves a good player in the market. He is a terrific young player."

Patterson has currently started four league matches this term, averaging 0.7 key passes per game, creating one big chance and making two tackles per game as the Toffees have enjoyed a slight upturn in form recently.

Even when compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues, his defensive attributes have been impressive over the previous 12 months as he ranks in the top 8% for tackles per 90 (3.03) along with ranking in the top 5% for blocks per 90 (1.73) and there is no doubt he will continue to get better and better the more he plays in the top flight.

With Tavernier turning 32 in the next few weeks, the Gers will shortly have to start looking for an heir for the long-serving captain and considering he has registered 226 goal contributions – 107 goals and 119 assists – for the club, he will be extremely hard to replace.

While Patterson may not be as attack-minded as Tavernier, his defensive skills could have made him the perfect long-term replacement for the right-back, and he could have honed his attacking talents by playing regularly.

Although £16m is a lot of money and tough to turn down for someone who made just 27 appearances for the club, if Patterson keeps up his progress, there is no doubt the move will come to be a big regret by the Ibrox side.

Tottenham Hotspur's rise under Ange Postecoglou has been something of immense proportion, and while the Premier League campaign is still within its first quarter, there is a real sense that the table-toppers could be set for a truly special year.

The 2022/23 season was not one of success for Spurs, who only managed to secure an eighth-place finish in the English top flight, meaning that there is no European football on the cards this year.

Targeting Postecoglou saw a clear shift in strategy from chairman Daniel Levy, with the dismissal of esteemed manager Antonio Conte in March meaning that the face in the dugout had changed four times in as many years.

Postecoglou was not among Europe's 'elite' managers when arriving in June, despite having enjoyed significant silver-laden success in Scotland with Celtic, but his free-flowing, positive philosophy aligns with Tottenham's perfectly.

Luis Enrique was among those to have been on the London club's radar, while former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann was an additional candidate.

But it's rather hard to argue that Levy made the wrong call in opting for the shrewder route, with an outfit bogged in the mire only a matter of months ago now thriving as one of Europe's most in-form squads.

The Australian has transformed many of last season's withered crop and sprinkled new talent in the right areas, with Micky van de Ven and James Maddison utterly brilliant so far.

The latter, Maddison, won August's Premier League Player of the Month award and has been sensational as the starring playmaker – not just in the squad but the whole of the division.

Why did Tottenham sign James Maddison?

Last season, the defensive mess was the crux of Tottenham's struggles, having conceded 63 times, but there was a discernible decline in overall attacking verve too.

Despite scoring 70 times, the Lilywhites could've done with a creative midfielder to connect the conglomerate of players together, and, as such, Maddison was targetted following Leicester City's relegation from the Premier League.

Newcastle United had registered a vested interest in the England international and were actually believed to be leading the race in June, but a fierce assault on the Foxes' dressing room saw Maddison join in a £40m transfer.

Despite Leicester's relegation, Maddison was one of the few members of the squad to hold his head high, with his prolific exploits hailed as a "magician" by analyst Statman Dave.

Spurs supporters were excited upon the announcement of his signing, but, already, Maddison has eclipsed expectations with the sheer brilliance of his displays.

So far, Maddison has been nothing short of a revelation under Postecoglou's stewardship, having scored two goals and supplied five assists from eight games in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old has maintained the cutting edge that saw him post ten goals and nine assists from only 28 starts in the division last term, and he is now flourishing among a cohesive and quality crop of teammates, bringing out the very best of his abilities.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot-creating actions and the top 6% for progressive passes per 90, illustrating his worth in sustaining a reliable flow of support for the frontline.

The £170k-per-week star has been sensational already this year and is clearly one of the Premier League's most devastating creative players, but he's actually being matched by one former player who would have been incredible at the spearhead of Postecoglou's system.

Indeed, one Harry Kane departed in the summer, with the Tottenham legend's inclusion in this team something that would be perfect for the mounting title charge.

Why did Tottenham sell Harry Kane?

Tottenham sold Kane to German champions Bayern Munich for around £84m, ending a career-long fellowship with Spurs, departing as the club's all-time record scorer.

The 30-year-old striker is also England's record goalscorer with 61 goals from 87 appearances, and has been described as "world-class" by many, including Graeme Souness.

Harry Kane: PL Goals By Season (Transfermarkt)

Season

Apps

Goals

22/23

38

30

21/22

37

17

20/21

35

23

19/20

29

18

18/19

28

17

17/18

37

30

16/17

30

29

15/16

38

25

14/15

34

21

13/14

10

3

A remarkable talent, Tottenham's failure to succeed last season – despite Kane's 30-goal league haul – resulted in the 6 foot 2 phenom's sale, having still never tasted silverware for club or country.

It was a poignant day, but one that perhaps made sense given the financial value for Levy and co in cashing in on a player who was out of contract the following summer and had confirmed his decision to reject any fresh proposals.

How is Harry Kane performing at Bayern Munich?

Already this season, Kane has plundered nine goals and five assists from ten matches for Die Roten, very much proving his worth in a new division and new country.

Ever impressive in front of goal, his creativity has been equally important and puts him on the same pedestal as Maddison, who has been awe-inspiring in his supplementation this season.

He ranks among the top 13% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes per 90, highlighting that ball-playing faculty that puts him among the finest creators in the business.

The £415k-per-week machine is possibly the world's greatest current striker; his level of all-encompassing brilliance, leadership and innate predatory instinct would slot him comfortably into any team across world football. A true "monster” of a centre-forward, as was claimed by journalist Siavoush Fallahi.

The mere fact that he is supplying goals on par with Maddison underscores this value, and heading the Spurs ship, he would undoubtedly be the catalyst for Postecoglou's side – a side which, let's not forget, are in early contention for the Premier League title.

Tottenham are flying and the fact that Postecoglou has managed the situation at the club, compounded by Kane's sale, has been incredible.

But just imagine how the England skipper would perform in such a flourishing squad after dragging a languishing fold last term, particularly with the current side without a reliable, out-and-out centre-forward, with Richarlison scoring just one league goal this term.

Kane's former partner in crime Heung-min Son boasts six goals so far after operating as a makeshift number nine, although it remains to be seen if the South Korean winger can be a long-term solution in that role, hence the the intrigue as to the impact the current Bayern man could have made under Postecoglou.

As truly one of the greatest players to have ever been garbed in Tottenham white, Kane – who netted four in pre-season against Shakhtar Donetsk – would likely have thrived under the new regime.