Tottenham to make new bid for James Maddison as Mauricio Pochettino keen on signing Coventry midfielder

Tottenham Hotspur have rekindled their interest in Coventry City midfielder James Maddison and are preparing to make a fresh bid in January. He was a target for the north London club last summer but the deal did not take shape as he continued with the League One outfit.

The 19-year-old player came up through the ranks of Coventry's academy, before making his way into the first team in 2013. According to the Independent, Mauricio Pochettino is determined on signing the teenager in the ongoing transfer window and send him back on loan to Ricoh Arena, until the end of the season.

David Pleat, Tottenham's scouting advisor, and the club's head of recruitment Paul Mitchell were in attendance during Coventry's 2-0 defeat to Burton Albion at home on 16 January. The White Hart Lane club are looking to seal the deal for Maddison in the coming days and Coventry could accept a bid, which will see them keep the midfielder at the club until the end of the season on loan.

Pochettino has already expressed his desire to bring in a player from the domestic market, rather than from a foreign club in December. The former Southampton boss also admitted that he is open to the idea of signing players from lower divisions in England.

"Always it is difficult to bring in players from outside [England]," Sky Sports quoted Pochettino as saying. "For them to adapt in the Premier League, to the culture, the language – it is difficult to bring in players from outside. You need to take the right profile."

"I prefer to take players from England first. If we have the option to take players from here, I prefer it — from the Premier League, or the Championship or League One."

The Independent also reports that Tottenham are not the only club interested in Maddison. Their league rivals Liverpool, Manchester City, Southamtpon and Newcastle United are in the race for the midfielder's signature.