Dele really annoys me a lot with all these tricks and flicks that he keeps trying over and over again. Maddison & Grealish are very good players having good/excellent seasons....however....
Both of them get completely free roles in their team. They could even be called luxury players. Dele, however, has to play False 9, support striker, B2B CM. He's also expected to score and create goals.
The expectations for him are a lot higher. The season where he was given a free role (when we finished 2nd) he scored 20+ goals in all comps. Maddison & Grealish have never come near him in terms of those numbers. Even now in their best PL seasons, they are about on par with Dele for goals and assists.
Off the top of my head, Dele has scored and/or assisted in 2 FA Cup semi-finals, in the CL vs Real Madrid, Juventus, in the league vs Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Woolwich & Leicester. I can't remember if he has scored or assisted against Liverpool. Has Maddison or Grealish had the same output as he has against top teams or that level? He's been a regular for Poch, Jose and in the England team.
Again, I think the other 2 are good players but overall have they come to achieve individually the same as Dele even in their free roles? All 3 are a similar age as well.