With Kevin De Bruyne set to depart Manchester City at the conclusion of the ongoing campaign, the Cityzens would be in the market to bring in a potential replacement for the Belgian maestro, and while barely a few fit the bill to fill in the former Chelsea midfielder’s shoes at Etihad Stadium, the Manchester Blues have been vying for a move for Tottenham Hotspur ace James Maddison, among others.

The England international is an intriguing prospect if he were to move to M11. He has enjoyed some purple patches during his time donning the Lilywhites badge, but he has not played to his strengths, and that has been a massive factor in his deflating goal contributions despite his 11 goals and 9 assists in the ongoing campaign.

A move to Manchester City could end up being one of those win-win-win situations for all the parties involved. Let’s take a walk down whys for it:

Ideal opportunity for Tottenham to get out?

Maddison has been the creative outlet at N17 since he moved to North London from Leicester City, with his creativity, vision, and technical ability making him a key cog in the squad. That being said, he has struggled to find consistency during his time at the club, and it could well be down to how he has been used by Postecoglou. The former Celtic manager has been using Maddison in more of an eight role where the 28-year-old is more sanctioned to the left space than a free-roaming role that he was used to at King Power – we had taken a tactical look at this before.

And then we have also seen how Ange has preferred to play someone who can wiggle out of tight spaces, something that cost Maddison his place in the team for the first half of the ongoing season. If Manchester City goes on to move for James, then Spurs can create that space in the squad that can allow them to move for someone else, possibly someone who can cater to the tactical needs under Ange (provided that the Australian stays at the club beyond this season).

Then you consider the financial considerations; as per the latest reports via Fichajes, the Cityzens are willing to submit a £60 million offer for Maddison. Financially, that is a considerable sum, considering he is not an out-and-out starter at N17. Moreover, he has had problems with injuries since moving to North London; to put it into perspective, he missed 13 games with an ankle injury last season and five with a calf strain a couple of months back. The emergence of Kulusevski in a central role means Ange can think about taking up that hefty sum and possibly reinvesting that in the summer window.

Maddison’s perspective

Playing for Manchester City is an entirely different proposition given how Pep’s side have always fought on the front for silverware around all the competitions, and with Kevin De Bruyne already announcing his exit at the end of the season, Maddison will take up his place in the starting eleven. The Cityzens do need a place that has the capacity to set the pace of the game, create opportunities, and find the back of the net. And the fact that his through balls are a menace to be reckoned with when he gets a free-roaming space will align perfectly with the likes of Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.

Moreover, a move to City can end up taking Maddison’s game to a whole new level, and for him, the prospect of moving to a place that consistently competes for titles will be enticing.

More Tottenham Hotspur News:

• TTLB Opinion: Is Postecoglou the reason behind Maddison’s underwhelming season at Tottenham?
• TTLB Opinion: Tottenham target Branthwaite and Guehi – but who makes more sense?
• TTLB Opinion: Tottenham could find it difficult to retain Dejan Kulusevski

It is not a denied fact that James Maddison has enjoyed some purple patches at N17; however, the fact that he has an opportunity to transit into one of the best sides English football has ever seen would be an exciting opportunity for the Englishman, and while for Man City, this is an opportunity to get a world-class player and ensure there is a smooth creative transition from De Bruyne. As for Tottenham, they can get some hefty fees and possibly bring in a player that aligns more with Ange’s playing style instead.