Leicester City's James Maddison has been one of the most outstanding performers at the club since he arrived from Norwich City in June 2018 for a fee believed to be around £20m.

The creative playmaker has forged a deadly understanding with Jamie Vardy, providing Brendan Rodgers with an attacking dynamic from which to build his philosophy.

An eye-catching season with the Canaries in 2017/18 alluded to his potential to thrive at the elite level, but his progress has exceeded expectations even with that in mind.

And the popular football website Transfermarkt have reflected his rising prominence not only in England but on an international scale.

Indeed, Maddison's most recent market update saw his value rise to £54m - an increase of £45m in less than two years - making him the 6th most valuable attacking midfielder in world football alongside recent Manchester United recruit Bruno Fernandes.

Only Kevin De Bruyne, Kai Havertz, Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Philippe Coutinho remain above him, but if his progress continues there's no doubt he could climb towards the likes of Coutinho and Alli.

With his staggering valuation increase in mind, Football FanCast take a look at three defining landmarks and achievements which explain his move into the world's top brass.

2018/19 campaign

Maddison passed his first major test at the Foxes with flying colours.

A touch of natural swagger complemented his creative style of play, and his statistical output was excellent for a player with no prior experience in the top flight.

He finished the campaign with seven goals and seven assists from 36 appearances as both a number ten and a left-sided playmaker.

First England cap

Gareth Southgate made the 23-year-old work hard for his opportunity but, after being an unused substitute in four England matches, he was finally handed his first cap in November 2019.

With the scoreline already at 5-0 against a hapless Montenegro, Southgate introduced Maddison into proceedings after 56 minutes in place of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

That remains his only appearance to date but further opportunities undoubtedly beckon if he continues to thrive at the King Power Stadium.

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That Maddison was linked with a move to Man United in January, per The Independent, speaks volumes about how highly he is regarded in English football.

Fortunately for Leicester, the Red Devils eventually signed Bruno Fernandes in an initial £47m deal, but it's unlikely that this spells the end of external interest in the England international's services.

His exponential rise in market value, though, at least offers some indication into the sizeable fee the Foxes will be in a position to demand.