It would be fair to say that, so far, this season has not gone to plan for Tottenham Hotspur.
Following Sunday's demolition job at the hands of Arne Slot's high-flying Liverpool, Ange Postecoglou's side find themselves down in 11th place in the Premier League, with more losses than wins to their name.
While the manager and his players share a significant portion of the blame for their dismal form this year, the number of injuries the side have picked up has not helped.
However, while things look bleak at the moment, the North Londoners have still looked electric here and there, and based on recent reports, their attacking options could look even better next year, as they've been linked with someone who could be the perfect James Maddison rival.
Tottenham Hotspur chasing Bundesliga star
According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are very interested in Borussia Dortmund star Julian Brandt.
The report claims that the North Londoners are looking to improve the overall level of the team and, therefore, the addition of the German star would be a 'significant' one.
A potential transfer fee is not mentioned in the story, but Football Transfers' expected transfer value model rates him at around the £32m mark.
Overall, it could be a challenging transfer to get over the line, but given Brandt's impressive ability, it's one worth pursuing, especially as he could be a dream Maddison rival.
How Brandt compares to Maddison
One of the many benefits of signing Brandt is that he can play in a multitude of positions on the pitch.
For example, throughout his career, the German international has played on either wing, in central midfield, and even as a centre-forward. Still, his primary position is that of attacking midfield.
Therefore, he would likely go up against Maddison for a place in the team were he to join Spurs, but who comes out on top when we compare the pair?
Well, when it comes to their pure output over the last two seasons, they are pretty evenly matched, with the German Cup winner just edging it.
For example, the "excellent" Dortmund star, as dubbed by former manager Marco Rose, has scored 13 goals and provided 22 assists in 66 games since the start of last season, equating to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games.
In comparison, the former Leicester City star has scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists in 54 appearances across the same period, which comes out to a slightly worse average of a goal involvement every 2.07 games.
"He's a special guy, not one to shy away from responsibility or let his head drop, but just someone who likes to do his own thing. He's a bit cheeky, but that's a good thing, especially with attacking players." - Brandt's former coach Dirk Kunert.
Now, while the pair are similarly matched regarding output, the Bremen-born ace comes out ahead regarding their availability in recent history.
For example, since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, he's missed just 20 games for club and country, whereas the Lilywhites' co-vice-captain has missed a staggering 46 games in the same period.
Therefore, not only is the German ever so slightly more productive than the Englishman, but he's also available more often.
Ultimately, Maddison is an incredibly talented footballer and one who could still achieve great things with Spurs, but if Brandt is available next year, Daniel Levy and Co should do what they can to sign him, as the pair would push each other to improve and his arrival would seriously strengthen the squad as well.