Leicester City Is The Right Fit For Me, Says Maddison
- New Leicester City signing James Maddison speaks to LCFC TV for the first time
- The 21-year-old agreed terms to join the Club from Sky Bet Championship side Norwich City this week
- Maddison says City's ambition to build on their recent successes played a big part in his decision
- The Foxes will be joined by their latest recruit for pre-season training later this summer
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder, an England youth international, agreed terms on a five-year contract earlier this week before also completing a medical at Belvoir Drive.
During his first interview with LCFC TV, Maddison, who scored 15 goals for Sky Bet Championship side Norwich City last season, outlined his hopes and aspirations for life at King Power Stadium.
Maddison's Joy At Foxes Switch
A snippet from James Maddison's first interview as a Leicester City player.
"I’m delighted to be here, obviously getting it all sorted… it’s a relief, I’m really happy to be here," said Maddison, who made his senior debut for Coventry City in the Football League at 17.
"I had a good chat with the manager [Claude Puel], a good in-depth chat with him about football. There’s a lot of talk about contact negotiations when you’re going through speculation.
"I had a good chat with him just about football and how he wants me to play, how he likes to play and I was sold.
As a young boy my dream was always to play in the premier league! Now I have the opportunity to make my dream come true and I can’t wait to get started at this fantastic football club! Delighted to be here and looking forward to meeting all of you💙 @LCFC pic.twitter.com/iKpqZSw4u9
— James Maddison (@Madders10) June 20, 2018
"We talked about the type of player I am and how I might fit into his style of play and everything sounded really promising and I’ve not looked back since that."
At a key juncture in his fledgling career, Maddison admitted that he considered his decision carefully, but revealed how City's plans for the future ultimately persuaded him to join the Club.
He added: "I thought long and hard about it. I had a good chat with my family and my agent. I’ve got a really tight-knit family so I sat down with my mum, my dad and my agent and went through everything.
"Leicester seemed like the right fit for me. I’ve got a good feel about the Club and I just can’t ignore that in my head and my heart. I felt like this was the right place for me to be.
"It's been such a successful club and you can’t ignore the Premier League title win [in 2016].
Maddison's Message For The Blue Army
James Maddison had a message for Leicester City's supporters after joining the Club this week.
"I know that probably gets spoken about a lot in these parts but even as an outsider watching that I was urging Leicester to go on and win it.
"It’s an ambitious club, speaking to all of those behind the scenes here I just can’t wait to get started."
While Maddison's 15 goals last season put him towards the top of the second tier scoring charts, his tally of eight assists also helped him secure a place in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.
"It’s a nice stat to have about creating chances," he continued. "That’s what my role is. I played the majority of last season as a No.10 and I created a lot of chances and scored quite a few goals so my return was quite good and hopefully I can get the Leicester fans off their seat in games.
"I was really happy with my return of goals last season. As a No.10, you get judged on your end product and getting eight assists and those goals is something I’m really proud of."