Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and will miss the majority of the 2025-26 season, the club confirmed on Thursday.
The 28-year-old England international suffered the devastating injury during Spurs’ 1-1 pre-season draw against Newcastle United in Seoul last Sunday. Maddison will undergo surgery in the coming days before beginning an extensive rehabilitation programme.
Manager Thomas Frank confirmed after the match that Maddison had reinjured the same right knee that kept him out of the Europa League final victory against Manchester United in May. The midfielder was stretchered off in visible distress after collapsing just 10 minutes into his substitute appearance.
“It’s most likely he has a bad injury, we need to be honest with that, it’s the same knee as the previous injury,” Frank told reporters following the match. He later described the incident as “brutal,” highlighting the devastating nature of the setback for both player and club.
Surgery and Recovery Timeline
Tottenham’s official statement confirmed that Maddison “will undergo surgery for a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee”. The procedure will take place within days, after which the midfielder will begin his recovery under the supervision of the Spurs’ medical team.
ACL injuries typically require a minimum of six to nine months for full recovery, meaning Maddison is unlikely to return until well into the 2026 calendar year. The injury represents his second significant setback in recent months, having previously missed crucial fixtures including the Europa League final triumph.
Frank Faces Transfer Market Pressure
The timing could not be worse for Frank, who is preparing for his first season as Tottenham manager. The loss of Maddison comes just hours after confirming Son Heung-min’s departure to LAFC, depriving the new boss of two key attacking players.
Frank had been testing a 4-2-3-1 formation during pre-season, with Maddison earmarked for the central playmaker role behind the striker. Those tactical plans now require urgent revision with the Premier League season starting in just over a week.
Spurs had previously pursued Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White as an attacking reinforcement, but the England international signed a new three-year contract with his current club. The club also signed Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United this summer, though the Ghanaian may need to adapt to a more central role to help fill the void.
Former Tottenham scout Bryan King suggested the injury creates uncertainty over Maddison’s future at the club. “It puts a question mark over Maddison,” King told Tottenham News. “He’s under contract, he’s got to get fit now and then Spurs have got to see whether he’s going to be part of their future or not”.
The devastating injury overshadowed what should have been a celebration of Son’s farewell in his home country. Maddison, who scored 12 goals in 45 appearances last season, now faces another lengthy battle to return to full fitness as Tottenham prepare to defend their Europa League crown without one of their most creative players.
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