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Middlesbrough signing this 62-goal Posh star with £2.5m release clause would be a steal

Why Marcus Maddison could be a saviour for Middlesbrough in January

According to TEAMtalk (h/t Sunderland Echo), Middlesbrough have been credited with an interest in Peterborough United playmaker Marcus Maddison, with Jonathan Woodgate keen to bolster his squad in January following a woeful start to the campaign. 

Middlesbrough, though, aren’t the only Championship side looking to prise Marcus Maddison away from the Weston Homes Stadium during the mid-season trading period, with Derby County also hot on trail of the 26-year-old. (TEAMtalk h/t Sunderland Echo)

Posh chairman Darragh MacAntony has slapped a combined £20million valuation on the club’s star duo of Ivan Toney and Maddison but the latter has a release clause of just £2.5m. (TEAMtalk h/t Sunderland Echo)

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Marcus Maddison has been in red-hot form for Peterborough United this season (Getty Images)

Ironically, though, Maddison is in the final year of his contract with the Posh, and with no signs of a breakthrough in contract talks between the club and the player, the Championship clubs will definitely fancy their chances of nabbing him on the cheap when the transfer window reopens in January. (h/t Sunderland Echo)

Peterborough United currently find themselves placed 4th in the League One standings, just five points adrift of Ispwich Town for the second automatic promotion spot, after winning 8 and drawing 4 of their 17 league fixtures so far, and Marcus Maddison has been one of the key driving forces behind the club’s surge for promotion. 

The 26-year-old former Newcastle United youth exponent has contributed with an impressive tally of 9 goals and 6 assists in 16 League One appearances for the Posh so far and his rich vein of form has alerted the likes of Derby County and Middlesbrough to his imminent availability in January, with his contract set to run out in the summer. 

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The playmaker is out of contract at Peterborough at the end of the ongoing season (Getty Images)

Maddison might have failed to make the grade at Newcastle earlier in his career but he has been a real revelation since his move to Peterborough back in the summer of 2014, accumulating an envious return of 62 goals and 90 assists in 240 appearances for the Posh. 

The 26-year-old is widely regarded as one of the most creative players in the third-tier and his well-rounded attributes as a playmaker are perfectly backed up by the numbers, with Maddison averaging 2.1 key passes, 1.6 crosses, 2.5 long balls and 3.5 shots per game in League One. (whoscored)

To put things into perspective, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Middlesbrough are desperately crying out for some creative reinforcements in January, and Marcus Maddison could be a tailor-made signing to sort out their problems related to the lack of creativity in the final third. 

The Teessiders are currently languishing in the relegation zone after managing just two wins from their first sixteen league fixtures and meagre returns of 13 goals scored so far clearly epitomise the need to bolster the ranks with some much-needed attacking firepower. 

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The 26-year-old has attracted interest from Middlesbrough and Derby County (Getty Images)

Verdict

While a back-up for Britt Assombalonga up top continues to be a top priority for the manager heading into the January window, Boro can certainly do with an out-and-out creative midfielder in their ranks given that they have found themselves bereft of ideas in the final third. 

With the likes of Marcus Browne, Marcus Tavernier and George Saville all struggling to make any kind of an impact in the No.10 role, the much-needed link between the midfield and the forward line has gone missing more often than not, and that is exactly where a left-footed magician like Marcus Maddison can make all the difference. 

Maddison is not just a playmaker but he is an excellent shooter with his left foot and boasts of a deadly eye for goal from set-pieces. As per whoscored, the 26-year-old has managed to hit the target with 26 out of his attempted 56 shots in League One so far, which amounts to an impressive rate of 46.43%.

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Credits: Getty Images

Although he hasn’t played in the Championship before, given his wealth of experience and exploits in the third-tier over the years, the time might just be right for him to make the step up to the second-tier. Boro, who are in need of a creative outlet in their ranks, shouldn’t hesitate to give him that opportunity to prove his credentials. 

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All in all, Middlesbrough completing a move for Marcus Maddison in January might just provide the inspiration that they need to avoid the ignominy of a horror season in the Championship.