Ange Postecoglou sent James Maddison warning after Bournemouth win
The 26-year-old has loved his start to life at Tottenham under the Australian
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has informed Ange Postecoglou of Tottenham that James Maddison ‘lacks’ when his team is not in possession of the ball.
Schmeichel has a lot of experience watching the two play together over the years because he is, of course, the father of goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, one of Maddison’s longtime teammates back at Leicester City.
The 26-year-old just left the newly relegated Foxes for Spurs and has made an immediate impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With a goal and two assists from his first three starts under the Australian, the star has played all but 18 minutes of their current season, and the crowd is enamored with his participation.
In terms of shot-creating actions (19), shot-creating actions per 90 (6.79), and goal-creating actions (3), Maddison is among the top five players in the Premier League.
Despite being pleased with the star’s performances for Spurs thus far, Schmeichel criticized the player for having little impact when the team is not in possession of the ball and urged him to work on that aspect of his game.
“When given the chance, Madison is a really, really good player. He is a really, really fantastic player when you give him space, Schmeichel said over the weekend to Premier League Productions (via HITC).
“After closely watching him at Leicester, I can say that his knowledge of what to do when his team doesn’t have the ball is a touch lacking.
Now, his manager has this thought. He will be a terrific addition to Spurs if he can convey this to Maddison and ensure that he fully understands.
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Tottenham close in on Johnson as Spence and Hojbjerg begin exit talks
Brennan Johnson’s negotiations with Brentford were terminated, thus Tottenham should have an open window to sign him to a contract with Nottingham Forest.
Spurs are still in talks with Forest for the 22-year-old, who the Midlands club values at £50 million, and are hopeful of reaching an agreement. However, they still need to make room in their roster by letting go of a number of unwanted players.
Spurs have provided players in exchange, notably Davison Sanchez, in an effort to lower Forest’s asking price and clear the field.
Ange Postecoglou is a huge supporter of the Wales international, and Johnson is rumored to have expressed a desire for joining Spurs.
Johnson is the ideal candidate for Postecoglou’s revamped team since he is a young, homegrown player who can play everywhere along the front line. Spurs are looking to significantly reduce the average age of the squad in the wake of Harry Kane’s £100 million transfer to Bayern Munich.
Johnson, a Forest academy graduate, has 108 senior appearances for the team, making 29 goals and 12 assists.
Brentford had three offers for Johnson rejected by Forest, the most recent being for an estimated £43 million. It is said that they have since moved on to other targets. The Bees may still express interest in the player if Forest lowers their asking price before the deadline on Friday, but would prefer to add more firepower to make up for the loss of suspended Ivan Toney. In addition to making a bid for Nicolas Gonzalez of Fiorentina this month, Brentford has also been connected to wingers Johan Bakayoko of PSV Eindhoven and Bradley Barcola of Lyon.
Leeds and Tottenham are currently negotiating a loan agreement for undesired defender Djed Spence.
The 22-year-old is desired by the Championship team for the current campaign on a pure loan deal, without an option or requirement to purchase him next summer. Discussions are still ongoing.
Joe Rodon, a defender from Tottenham, has previously been acquired by Leeds on a temporary basis.
Spence was hesitant to return to the Championship after moving to Spurs from Forest in a move for up to £20 million last summer, but Postecoglou has informed him that he is not in the team’s plans.
Hugo Lloris, Japhet Tanganga, Tanguy Ndombele, and Sergio Reguilon are among players that Spurs are trying to get go of. In the last days of the transfer window, Manchester United has been given the opportunity to make a bid for Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
With two years left on his contract and no longer being the first choice in midfield at Spurs, Hojbjerg would like to leave the club.
The Dane previously collaborated with Erik ten Hag, the manager of United, when the Dutchman oversaw Bayern Munich’s B squad.
Before the deadline on Friday, Postecoglou is certain that Spurs will decide the fate of a few undesired players, notably former club-record signing Ndombele.
Prior to tonight’s Carabao Cup second-round match at Fulham, Postecoglou stated that Tanguy was in a boat with a few other men. We have five or six more guys than we can name on a list, as I mentioned the other day.
“All of these things boil down to individual choices, whether they be mine or those of other gamers. In that boat, there are four or five of us. Those kinds of issues will resolve themselves this week, I’m confident.
He’s still working out. He is training diligently. However, we’re doing pretty well right now in that midfield region.
You saw the players who took the field on Saturday; Skippy has been excellent, and Pierre and Gio [Lo Celso] have been working hard in the gym. In that sector, competition has been rather fierce. Many of those issues should be fixed this week, I believe.