adminThe ‘disappointing’ £3m factor about James Maddison leaving Coventry City for Norwich raised
From Coventry Prodigy to Premier League Star: The Rise — and Frustrations — of James Maddison
Many players emerge from EFL academies as seemingly ordinary talents before rapidly ascending to the Premier League. Yet, there are others whose potential is evident from day one — players for whom reaching the top feels almost inevitable.
For Coventry City Fan Pundit Chris Deez, Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison perfectly fits that second category, having shown early signs of brilliance during his formative years with the Sky Blues.
Maddison’s Coventry Beginnings
Born and raised in Coventry, Maddison progressed through the City academy and made his senior debut in the 2014/15 League One campaign after signing his first professional contract the previous summer.
Despite playing just 42 matches in all competitions for the club, Maddison’s technical ability and creativity stood out — especially during the first half of the 2015/16 season — marking him as a future Premier League star in the making.
In January 2016, Norwich City secured his signature, immediately loaning him back to Coventry for the remainder of the season. Looking back, Chris Deez says the only real disappointment was the modest transfer fee Coventry received for such an obvious talent.
“Any Coventry fan would be lying if they said they didn’t think Maddison was destined for the top,” says Chris. “He didn’t actually play that many games for us — maybe 30 to 35 over a few seasons — but you could see the quality right away.
We were never going to be his ceiling; he was always going to move on to bigger things. The frustrating part was how little we got for him — around £3 million. Considering Norwich later sold him to Leicester for about £20 million and then he went to Spurs for £40 million, it’s clear he was worth far more.”
Chris also recalls how Maddison’s attitude seemed to shift after his Norwich move was confirmed:
“When he came back on loan, he wasn’t quite the same player. It was as if the transfer had gone to his head — he started diving more and his performances dipped. Still, as a local lad and a Cov fan himself, we all wanted the best for him, even if that meant moving on.
I’ve followed his career ever since and always hope he does well. It’s just a shame injuries have held him back and he’s slipped out of the England picture. Hopefully, he can fight his way back.”
Ups and Downs with Leicester, Tottenham, and England
After an impressive 2017/18 season with Norwich, where he scored 14 goals in 44 Championship appearances, Maddison earned a Premier League move to Leicester City.
The Foxes — two years removed from their fairytale title win — were aiming to establish themselves as European contenders. Maddison played a major role in that ambition, helping Leicester lift their first-ever FA Cup and earning his first senior England call-up, including selection for the 2022 World Cup squad.
Yet, his Leicester spell was not without frustration. The club narrowly missed out on Champions League football twice before suffering relegation in 2022/23 — a major low point for both player and club.
At Tottenham, Maddison’s story has been similarly mixed. While he contributed to Spurs’ long-awaited Europa League triumph last season, injuries once again disrupted his campaign, forcing him to miss key matches — including the final.
Now 28, Maddison’s career remains something of a paradox: a player of immense skill and flair who has often fallen just short of the consistency expected at the highest level.
His ACL injury over the summer has effectively ruled him out of contention for Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup squad — a setback that perhaps encapsulates his career to date: full of promise, glimpses of brilliance, but too often hindered by unfortunate timing.
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