Tottenham fans were left perplexed when James Maddison was given the number 71 shirt for his debut against West Ham on Tuesday. The 26-year-old midfielder, who joined Spurs from Leicester in a £40 million deal last month, was selected by new manager Ange Postecoglou in the starting XI. Maddison lined up alongside Yves Bissouma and Oliver Skipp in a dynamic midfield trio.
Ahead of the match, Tottenham’s official Twitter account shared a photo of Maddison’s shirt in the dressing room, revealing the number 71 on the back. This caused a stir among fans who were expecting Maddison to don a more traditional number. However, the club had previously announced that new signings would wear temporary numbers before receiving their official ones. Fellow new recruits Manor Solomon and Guglielmo Vicario were assigned the numbers 72 and 13, respectively.
Despite this clarification, one fan speculates that Maddison’s choice of number could be significant. They suggest that the midfielder might be waiting for the coveted number 10 shirt, which is currently worn by Harry Kane. Kane’s future at Tottenham remains uncertain, with reports linking him to clubs like Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
Kane has returned to Tottenham for pre-season training in Australia but is believed to be seeking a move away. Bayern Munich is said to be interested in signing him, but the player reportedly prefers a move to the German club over PSG. So far, Bayern have made two bids for Kane, but Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is holding out for £100 million, despite the striker having less than a year left on his contract.
Postecoglou was recently asked about Kane’s future, but he remained tight-lipped, stating that he had a productive conversation with the player about the club’s goals and ambitions for the season. The manager emphasized the importance of a collective vision rather than focusing solely on one individual.
As the saga surrounding Kane’s potential departure lingers on, fans will continue to scrutinize any potential signs or hints. For now, Maddison taking the number 71 shirt should be viewed as a temporary measure until his preferred number becomes available. Only time will tell if this theory holds any weight in the wider context of Tottenham’s squad dynamics.
