Sky’s the limit for Norwich City new-boy James Maddison, says Joe Cole

Joe Cole believes James Maddison has the talent to make it all the way to the top.

The former England star is enjoying watching the 19-year-old flourish at the Ricoh Arena as Coventry City plot a League One promotion push. Maddison – loaned back to the Sky Blues after Norwich City pulled off a February 1 deadline-day coup to sign the highly-rated attacking midfielder – had been attracting the interest of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur before the Canaries swooped – and Cole admits it's easy to understand why.

'He can be as good as he wants to be,' said Cole, winner of three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and 56 England caps.

'He's obviously excelled at the start of his career and got his move to Norwich. He's a Coventry lad, he is a supporter of the team, and he wants to leave the club with us getting promoted. He can do anything he wants – the sky's the limit.

'To be 19 again, to have it all in front of you, is a great thing. He's going to have such a good time.'

Maddison scored and impressed during Coventry's 6-0 mauling of Bury on Saturday. Cole, 34, and the teenager regularly linked to devastating effect to rip the Shakers to shred as the hosts' front four, which included another Norwich loanee Jacob Murphy, ran riot.

Former West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool playmaker Cole added: 'The more you play with each other the more you understand each other's movements. It almost becomes telepathic. It was great to play with all the lads on Saturday and we're going to get more cohesion in our play, which will come naturally.'

See Saturday's Pink Un for more on City's current young guns.