It’s only been just over a season, but Ange Postecoglou has transformed Tottenham Hotspur.
Before the Australian arrived, the North Londoners were stuck playing turgid ‘pragmatic’ football that not only bored fans senseless but also failed to deliver the success they had been told it would.
Now, while there are still some issues that cost them here and there, the Lilywhites are finally back playing an exciting brand of attacking football and entertaining their fans every week.
However, Postecoglou hasn’t just changed the style of play; he’s also overseen a swathe of signings, including one player whose value has skyrocketed this season and is now worth more than James Maddison.
Maddison's valuation in 2024
Spurs spent £40m to secure the services of Maddison from Leicester City last summer, and in the season and a bit since, it would be fair to say that it’s just about been money well spent.
We say just about because the Englishman has been incredible in some games and frustratingly ineffective in others.
For example, in his first ten league games last season the 27-year-old scored three goals, provided five assists and generally looked like one of the best midfielders in the country, but following his return from the injury he picked up in his 11th game, he looked like a different player and ended the campaign with four goals and nine assists in 30 appearances.
Appearances
30
12
Goals
4
2
Assists
9
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.43
0.50
It’s been more of the same this year, as the Coventry-born dynamo has already racked up two goals and four assists in 12 matches but was hooked at half-time against West Ham United and looked bereft of ideas against Crystal Palace at the weekend.
With all that said, due to his undeniable talent, long contract and age, his valuation has still risen, with Transfermarkt pricing him at €70m, which is about £58m, or £18m more than he cost the club last year.
However, another of Postecoglou’s signings from last summer has seen his valuation rise even more, and he is now worth even more than Maddison.
Brennan Johnson's valuation in 2024
Yes, the signing in question is Brennan Johnson, who completed his £47.5m move from Nottingham Forest on deadline day last summer.
Now, during his first few months at the club, the Welshman struggled to make an impact and by Christmas had scored just a single goal and provided only three assists in 12 appearances, but he soon found his footing and ended the campaign with a respectable tally of five goals and ten assists in 32 league matches.
Likewise, the start of this year was tough for the 23-year-old, and after a poor display in the North London derby, he had to deactivate his Instagram account due to fan backlash, but in the weeks since, he has been simply electric.
Following his late winner against Coventry City in the League Cup, the “frightening” winger, as dubbed by content creator Dan Cook (HLTCO), went on to score in his next five games and, as things stand, has six goals to his name in 13 appearances this year.
Unsurprisingly, such a rich vein of form has only seen his valuation soar, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, the former Forest ace is now worth up to €82m, which converts to about £68m.
Appearances
34
13
Goals
5
6
Assists
10
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.44
0.46
That means the 41-capped international is now worth just over £20m more than he cost the North Londoners last year and about £10m more than Maddison is worth today.
Ultimately, while it’s too early to say with any certainty, it’s starting to look like Spurs signed an incredibly talented winger in Johnson, and given his age, someone who could remain in the first team for a long time to come.
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