James Maddison returning Coventry City? Gus Hamer 'makes more sense' if Spurs go down | OneFootball

FLW's Coventry City fan pundit has urged the club to eye Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison, but a Sheffield United ace is more realistic...

Coventry City will have to consider Premier League targets in the near future, which could include a number of Championship players depending on where the teams they play for end up.

For example, Southampton, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town were recently relegated. The latter could well bounce back up at the first time of asking but there are players at teams like that who have had long Premier League careers.

Although not yet mathematical, there are also clubs like Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley who look destined to rejoin the Championship, while former Coventry star James Maddison could yet join them with Tottenham Hotspur.

The 29-year-old played 42 times over three seasons with Coventry in League One, scoring five and assisting five in the process. He has had a long career in the Premier League from 2018/19 with Leicester and Spurs.

James Maddison could return to Coventry City if Spurs are relegated

Football League World's Coventry fan pundit Chris has provided his thoughts on their former player. We asked if Coventry go up and Spurs go down, do the Sky Blues need to push for the return of Maddison?

He said: "Cov fans have always been really bad for revisiting the past and wanting to bring back former players. As a fanbase, we absolutely love James Maddison still. He's a Cov kid through and through, he still comes to watch games when he is out injured at Spurs.

"That is quite often recently, and we've seen him at away matches as well. His family are from around here, he leads charities from around here as well, so he will always be loved and always be welcome.

"I think some of this comes down to Jack Rudoni as well. If we go up and Spurs go down, regardless of what Spurs do to be honest, there is going to be interest in Rudoni. He was our best player last season.

"He's finally getting back to last season's form again after being out injured so long. If he left the club and we got a good amount for him? Sure, why not look at Maddison? But he'll have been out for a very long time injured.

"His injury record itself is getting worse and worse; he keeps picking up newer injuries, whether they are short-term or long-term or whatever. He's no doubt a fantastic player and he would walk into our first-team.

"He would be the first name on the teamsheet. Wages would be a stumbling block. He could still quote easily command, I don't know, at least £100,000 per week? Even if we do get promoted, I don't see us suddenly going from £20,000 or £30,000 a week for top earners to £100,000.

"I just don't think that sort of spike in wages is sustainable for a club like us. We can't just suddenly be a moneybags Premier League team spending £50 million here or there on players.

"Sunderland, we need to follow the example they set. They have brought in a lot of unheard of players, a lot of very good players, and not on crazy money. Then they have brought in a couple of experienced heads like [Granit] Xhaka. He has been one of the signings of the season."

Gus Hamer could be a more realistic option for Coventry City than James Maddison

Soccer Football - Championship - Play-off - Semi Final - First Leg - Coventry City v Middlesbrough - Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, Britain - May 14, 2023 Coventry City's Gustavo Hamer in action with Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No u

We then asked if Maddison would be a much better option than potentially bringing Gus Hamer back to the club from mid-table Sheffield United? And also asked if that was realistic for Coventry?

He responded: "I think, at this moment in time, Gus Hamer makes more sense. He'd be a lot cheaper, his wages would be a lot less, and he has had some injuries this season but he is well past those now.

"He's back to firing on all cylinders. He's got 10 assists, which is the most in the Championship. It's quite impressive when you consider he was out for a couple of months, I think?

"He's got a little bit of Premier League experience with Sheffield United. Again, just like with Maddison, he is adored around here. He may not be from Coventry but he's another player who visits, and another player with a really deep connection with the fans.

"I think Hamer is more realistic and it's probably the way that I would be inclined to go. I think, with Maddison, maybe give it another couple of years. If we are still in the Premier League, it would be more likely because he would be approaching 31/32/33 years old?