Manchester United are set to be busy in this summer's transfer window, as they look to improve on their disappointing sixth place Premier League finish last season.
One area of the team that needs significant investment is in midfield. The likes of Fred and Nemanja Matic had sub-par seasons and, with Ander Herrera also leaving the club, United's options look light on numbers and quality.
United are interested in Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, who enjoyed a terrific season in 2018/19, scoring seven goals and registering seven assists in what was his first ever season in the Premier League. And, as he's only 22 years of age, it's likely that the English playmaker will just get better and better.
So, how much potential has Maddison got? And, how does he compare to United's current midfield options?
We used the highly respected Football Manager 2019 database to find out.
James Maddison - Leicester City
Current Ability: 141/200
Potential Ability: 160/200
Positions: AMC/AML/CM/AMR/ST
Top Attributes (out of 20): Passing (16), free kicks (16), flair (16), technique (15), penalty taking (15), first touch (15), corners (15), long shots (15), balance (15), agility (15), composure (15).
Maddison's profile on Football Manager 2019 is very impressive indeed.
The former Norwich City midfielder is a technically gifted player, with high scores in passing, free-kicks, technique, first touch, long shots and penalty taking.
These attributes suggest that Maddison would add some real creativity to United's midfield, but not only can he create, his finishing also ranks in at 14.
The English playmaker has a current ability of 141 out of 200 on Football Manager 2019, to put that into context, that puts him at a similar level to the likes of Fred (143) and Andreas Pereira (136).
However, his potential ability of 160 out of 200 would see him become United's second-best outfield player, behind Paul Pogba (174), so he would be a great long-term signing for the club.
Football Manager 2019 tells us that Maddison would give United more creativity, quality and in the long-term, he could become not just one of the best United midfielders, but one of the Premier League's best midfielders.
