James Maddison will be sidelined for a significant portion of the 2025-26 season after Tottenham Hotspur announced that the midfielder has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.
The club stated that Maddison is scheduled for surgery “in the next few days,” after which he will begin the recovery process.
The 28-year-old was carried off with the injury during a 1-1 match against Newcastle United in South Korea last Saturday.
After the game, coach Thomas Frank confirmed that Maddison’s injury is to the same knee that had troubled him at the end of the previous season. He called it a “bad” injury and referred to it as a “brutal moment.”
This development is particularly unfortunate for Tottenham, as Frank now lacks a recognized creative midfielder. Dejan Kulusevski is also expected to miss the beginning of the new season due to his own knee issue.
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Tottenham attempted to acquire midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, but their efforts fell through when the England international secured a new three-year deal with Nottingham Forest.
“Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur wishes James a speedy and complete recovery. We will support him at every step,” the club expressed in an official statement.
Injuries like Maddison’s impact not only his team but also ripple through the league, affecting match outcomes and strategies. For soccer fans, the loss of a key player highlights the unpredictability of the sport and raises questions about the depth and resilience of other teams in the league.