James Maddison decision questioned as Tottenham urged to make U-turn

James Maddison should not be named as Tottenham's captain.

That is the verdict from Spurs expert John Wenham, after reports emerged claiming that he would be made the new skipper.

Roberto De Zerbi is believed to be heading in a different direction from Cristian Romero when it comes to the armband.

The current captain is still likely to depart, with Atletico Madrid believed to have revived interest in the Argentine.

The Englishman has been with the Lilywhites since 2023 and there are no concerns about his impact when he is fully fit.

However, Wenham has serious concerns over the idea of the 29-year-old being handed the role.

What has been said about James Maddison being named as Tottenham captain?

Wenham has already made his view clear, he believes the captain should be a new signing.

The Lilywhite Rose owner worries about how long Maddison will spend on the pitch, and feels like that does not justify the decision, which was first reported by The Sun in July.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: "Maddison is yet to start or feature at all in a pre-season game so there is the issue of how much he is actually going to be on the pitch.

"Plus in my opinion, nobody who was part of a leadership group who oversaw back to back 17th place finishes should be in consideration for this new look Tottenham leadership group.

"Plenty of signings have been made who would bring leadership - Jan Paul van Hecke, Sandro Tonali and Andrew Robertson."

Why Wenham's caution should be shared by De Zerbi

Maddison played just three times last season for a total of 34 minutes, so there are plenty of question marks over his involvement going forward.

As Wenham states, the fact that he has not featured in pre-season should be a major red flag for De Zerbi.

Even if he feels that he has proven himself, in terms of leadership, surely he is too injury-prone to be the leader that he needs for his side to qualify for the European places.

Tottenham need someone who can be on the pitch at all times, and pick up the rest of the team, if things do not go their way.

If the reports are true, then it could backfire spectacularly for the Italian boss.