James Maddison has revealed how Ange Postecoglou’s promise of a ‘completely different Spurs team’ convinced him to move to Tottenham.
The north Londoners moved quickly to wrap up a £40million deal for the England international this week, with Harry Winks heading in the other direction to Leicester City in a separate £10m deal.
Maddison had interest from Newcastle United and other Premier League clubs but picked a move to Spurs despite the absence of European football on offer.
The 26-year-old has now spoken about the role new manager Postecoglou played in his decision, with the Australian leaving a lasting impression on the midfielder when they spoke.
‘Being a Spurs player now is something I’m very excited about. I feel a hunger about the place,’ Maddison told the club’s official website.
‘You come here and get a feel for the club, for the people.
‘Speaking to the manager is very important. To have a decent chat with him and get his thoughts on how he sees Spurs going this season.
‘He said, “Whether you come or not, you’ll see a completely different Spurs team under me” and it kind of stuck with me that he said that.
‘It made me think that is the self-belief I have in myself.
‘I spoke to Daniel [Levy, the chairman] as well and they both spoke very highly of everything about the club, about me and things like that are so important. Building a good relationship with him, with Daniel, speaking to other players.’
Tottenham have had three successive managers over the past four years who have all played more pragmatic, counter-attacking football in the shape of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte.
But Postecoglou has an attacking, possession-based philosophy that is far more in tandem with what Tottenham fans want to see – and which they played under managers like Mauricio Pochettino and Harry Redknapp.
Maddison, who Spurs have been interested in for the best part of a decade, will provide a much-needed creative spark, while the north Londoners have already moved quickly to secure a new starting goalkeeper in the form of Empoli’s Guglielmo Vicario.
MORE : James Maddison deletes old tweets saying he ‘hates’ Gareth Bale ahead of £40million Tottenham move
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