Tottenham Dealt Crushing Blow as James Maddison's Pre-Season Injury Proves Worse Than Expected

Tottenham Hotspur's creative midfielder James Maddison faces an extended spell on the sidelines after sustaining an ACL injury that will likely rule him out for most of the 2025–26 campaign, according to several media outlets.

During what should have been a farewell tribute to Son Heung-min ahead of his move to LAFC, Maddison was carried off on a stretcher with just four minutes remaining in a pre-season match against Newcastle United.

Head coach Thomas Frank admitted the injury appeared "serious" and speculation about a potential ACL tear began immediately. BBC Sport has now validated those worries, with medical examinations revealing the feared diagnosis.

Maddison will require surgical intervention on his knee—the identical knee that troubled him during the closing stages of the previous season—before beginning a rehabilitation process expected to consume the bulk of the 2025–26 season.

While no specific timeline has been established for Maddison's comeback, ACL injuries generally require a minimum of six to seven months for recovery, with numerous cases showing players needing considerably longer periods to regain match fitness and make meaningful contributions.

Although Spurs have already secured attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United during this transfer window, Frank now faces the prospect of beginning his tenure without two of the squad's most creative attacking talents, following Son's departure confirmation just hours before Maddison's injury news broke.

The North London club had been pursuing Morgan Gibbs-White and believed they were nearing an agreement, but complex negotiations ultimately resulted in the England midfielder signing a fresh deal with Nottingham Forest instead.

While alternative options have been explored, no concrete moves have materialized yet, though confirmation of Maddison's prolonged absence will almost certainly trigger renewed transfer activity.