The No10 shirt is my favourite and I have a tattoo of it – but I didn’t want Harry Kane’s shirt when I joined Tottenham
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JAMES MADDISON has inherited Harry Kane’s No 10 shirt at Tottenham - but is adamant that he would rather the club’s all-time record scorer had stayed.
The midfielder has No10 tattooed on his leg and took it over at Spurs following Kane’s departure for Bayern Munich in a £100million deal.
And Maddison also believes Tottenham are now a work of art under Ange Postecoglou.
Maddison said: “I was definitely not waiting for the No10 shirt. I didn’t want it to become free because that meant one thing.
“I didn’t want Harry to leave but when he did, and the No10 shirt became free and the club asked me, then of course I wanted to wear it.
“It’s my favourite number. I’ve got it tattooed on me, I loved that number growing up as a kid and was never going to say ‘no’.
“I wasn’t naive enough to go there thinking there wasn’t a chance Harry Kane could leave Tottenham. I wasn’t going to Tottenham for Harry Kane.”
Maddison reckons boss Postecoglou has ensured Spurs are suffering ‘no hangover’ from the miserable reigns of Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho.
And they have managed OK so far without Kane.
Maddison added: “I knew there was a chance Harry could leave but it wasn’t all doom and gloom.
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“There was such a good feel with the new manager coming in and new players, and I didn’t feel any hangover from the previous managers.
“There were connotations around more negative, defensive football and I didn’t feel any hangover from that.
"Everyone was on a fresh slate and there was a really good energy and feel about the club.
“I think Harry’s the best No9 in the world and I would have loved to have played with him for more than a couple of pre-season games.
“But Bayern’s a massive club and I wish Harry all the best.
“Harry’s probably the best player to ever play for Tottenham, he’s definitely up there as one of the greats. He’s cemented his legacy as a legend and had nothing left to prove.
“But we’ve got some brilliant players at Spurs. The front line and especially, we can be so fluid with how the manager wants us to play.”
