Leicester City midfielder James Maddison has been a player that England fans have been crying for Gareth Southgate to call up for a while. With five goals and three assists in his last eight Premier League appearances, his recent form has certainly merited his place in the squad. The soon-to-be 26 year old has just one senior cap to his name, coming back in 2019 in a 7-0 win in Euro qualifying.
While he usually operates from the right side of the Leicester midfield, his role for England would likely be more central. He offers a creative threat from the middle that few England players can replicate, especially given Southgate's omission of James Ward-Prowse. Maddison is second in Premier League goals this season among midfielders, behind Newcastle's Miguel Almiron. He ranks in the top two percent of Premier League midfielders in terms of chances created, shots, and shot-creating actions.
Like Ward-Prowse, Maddison is a phenomenal set-piece taker, which can be crucial during international tournaments. In 2018, England set a World Cup record with nine goals from dead ball situations. These accounted for an incredible 75% of their goals. Maddison is the only Premier League player to score multiple goals from free-kicks this season, and trails only Ward-Prowse and Kieran Trippier when it comes to chances created from free-kicks.
Maddison could prove to be an important piece for England. His creativity could help England against low defensive blocks, which they are likely to face in the group stage. He took a knock in his last game for Leicester, so he may not be fit for the opening game against Iran, but he could make a big impact against the United States and Wales, even if his role is coming on as a substitute.
