James Maddison says a David de Gea save on his first Premier League appearance at Manchester United spurred him on to a fine debut season for Leicester which earned a first England call-up.
Maddison signed for Leicester from Norwich last summer for around £22m and made his debut in United's 2-1 win on the opening day of the season.
The England U21 international went on to score seven goals and assisted a further seven in his first season, with a move to United now on the cards for a reported £60m.
And Maddison said the experience at Old Trafford was a lifelong dream, despite the result.
He said: "It was crazy. I've dreamed of playing in the Premier League since I was a young boy.
"To do it at Man Utd – there is no bigger stage than Old Trafford – is a great feeling, one I won't forget."
And Maddison said one particular save from De Gea made him realise the high standards of his new division.
He explained: "I had a good touch, I hit it hard, the shot was towards the corner. I thought when I hit it, 'I've scored here.' But he [De Gea] managed to spring and get a hand to it.
"I couldn't believe it at the time but that is the step-up we talked about."
Maddison's fine season earned him a debut England call-up - even though he did not make the field - and he will represent the U21s in this summer's European Championships.
MEN Sport understands that United are interested in the Leicester star, with Manchester City and Liverpool also linked with the youngster.
