James Maddison is valued at £60m these days with the Leicester City star set to face Crystal Palace in Sunday’s Premier League clash.
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has admitted to The Mirror (1 November, page 68) that the Eagles missed the chance to bring James Maddison to Selhurst Park before he joined Leicester City in the summer of 2018.
Oh what could have been.
Palace fans have been vocal critics of some rather questionable recruitment during the Parish reign with many arguing that he has frequently failed to provide the kind of funds required to take the Londoners to the next level.
And Parish has now admitted that one-time Coventry starlet Maddison could have been wearing the red and blue stripes ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting with high-flying Leicester.
“The guy who ran Coventry I knew well, he nearly worked for us. He said we have this kid called Maddison. We get offered every player so you are in a permanent state of kicking yourself,” he said, adding that Ademola Lookman was recommended to Palace by club scouts too before the winger swapped Charlton Athletic for Everton.
Norwich later plucked Maddison from Coventry for just £2.5 million (Coventry Telegraph) and it’s fair to say his price-tag has sky rocketed since.
In October, the Daily Star (9th, page 51) reported that Leicester would demand £60 million for their prized playmaker now amid apparent interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
The set-piece specialist is one of the most impressive attacking midfielders in the Premier League, producing 10 goals and nine assists since the start of last season, so you can only imagine the kind of impact he would have made at a rather shot-shy Crystal Palace.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
