adminPaul Scholes has spoken highly of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison, while former Manchester United star Nicky Butt has identified Sandro Tonali as the standout signing made by Roberto De Zerbi’s side during the summer transfer window.
Maddison joined Tottenham in the summer of 2023 after leaving Leicester City in a deal worth around £40 million. Since arriving in north London, the England international has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most creative attacking midfielders whenever he has been available.
The 29-year-old has registered 16 goals and 21 assists in 79 appearances across all competitions for Spurs. However, his progress was disrupted last season after he suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that kept him out for a significant period.
Maddison then suffered another setback with a shoulder injury during Tottenham’s match against Brentford. Nevertheless, there is optimism that he could return to the squad when Spurs face Everton this weekend.
Scholes believes Maddison’s return could be crucial for Tottenham, insisting that De Zerbi will have little choice but to find a place for the midfielder in his strongest starting XI once he is fully fit.
Speaking alongside his former Manchester United teammate Nicky Butt on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, Scholes also discussed Tottenham’s difficult start and their prospects for the remainder of the campaign.
The former England midfielder admitted that Tottenham were fortunate to take a point from their latest match after a controversial moment involving the goal.
Butt, meanwhile, remained confident that Spurs have enough quality within their squad to finish inside the Premier League’s top six by the end of the season.
The former United midfielder pointed to the number of high-profile players Tottenham brought in during the summer and suggested that De Zerbi’s team should eventually find consistency.
Scholes acknowledged that Tottenham are still trying to overcome the poor habits developed over the previous campaign. He pointed out that the club finished as low as 16th or 17th and argued that rebuilding a team with so many new players would inevitably require patience.
According to Scholes, it could take six, seven or even eight matches before Tottenham begin to properly click under their new manager.
When Butt was asked to select Tottenham’s best signing of the summer, he immediately chose Tonali.
Scholes agreed that Spurs had made several impressive additions, highlighting players such as Omar Marmoush and Savinho among the other exciting arrivals.
Butt also highlighted Maddison’s impending return, describing the England international almost as another new signing because of how little he featured last season.
The former United midfielder believes Tottenham possess a squad packed with quality and expects their fortunes to improve once their key players become available.
Scholes was particularly enthusiastic about Maddison, praising his technical ability and influence on Tottenham’s style of play.
“I like him. He is a good footballer,” Scholes said, stressing that Maddison has the ability to make Tottenham play better football.
He also argued that De Zerbi must find a way to get the midfielder involved regularly because of the creativity and attacking threat he can provide.
Scholes acknowledged that the atmosphere surrounding Tottenham has been negative for several seasons but believes a short winning run could completely change the mood around the club.
If Spurs can put two or three victories together, he feels they could quickly build momentum and begin climbing the Premier League table.
Despite Tottenham’s recent struggles, Scholes ultimately remains confident that De Zerbi’s side will be fine once the squad settles and their important players return from injury.
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