Former Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has named the Premier League’s most underrated player.
The striker who made 363 appearances for Spurs, scoring 143 goals and assisting another 29 is considered one of the best forwards in the league’s recent history.
He featured for a number of Premier League clubs besides Tottenham, including West Ham, Sunderland, Bournemouth and Portsmouth, scoring 305 goals in his career and assisting another 51 in over 700 appearances across his club career career. (Transfermarkt)
With ample of playing experience, he is working as a pundit for sports networks and has recently had his say regarding the league’s most underrated player.
Jermain Defoe says James Maddison is the most underrated player in the league
He named James Maddison as the current most underrated player in the league, stating that when he does play for Tottenham, he immediately improves the side. He added that at his best form, he is good enough to play for England.
Speaking to LiveScore, he said:
“Maybe James Maddison, you know. I think when we see when he does play for Tottenham the qualities that he brings.
“I would just love to see him back in the England squad and trying to get in the England team. He missed out on the Euros which was obviously disappointing for him, but I think the best version of James Maddison can play for England.”
Maddison’s time at Tottenham
Maddison joined Spurs in 2023 with the reputation of one of the best midfielders in the league following his consistent performances for Leicester City over the years.
Signed for 40m, he made an instant impact at Spurs, scoring 3 and assisting 5 in his first 10 games. However, injury derailed his season, forcing him to miss 2 months of action. His form after his return was not the same, which resulted in him missing out of Gareth Southgate’s England side for Euros.
This season, he has found regular playing time difficult. Ange Postecoglou has used him as a squad player, having started just 17 league games out of the 27, coming off the bench in 10.
However, whenever he has played, he has made a visible impact, leaving some Spurs fans frustrated by the lack of game time being handed to the midfielder. This has resulted in speculations that Maddison has had a falling out with the manager.
Despite the limited playing time, the ‘brilliant’ Spurs player has scored 11 and assisted 7 in 38 games across all competitions. That is 18 goals and assists in 25 starts, which is excellent for someone supposedly not on his best form.
