Tottenham midfielder James Maddison is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Softfootball gathered that Maddison picked up the injury during a Tottenham 1-1 draw with Newcastle earlier this week, and medical scans have now confirmed damage to the ACL. He is expected to be out of action for at least six to seven months.
The setback comes as a major blow for the Spurs just weeks before the start of the new Premier League season. Maddison had been preparing for his third campaign in North London after joining from Leicester City two summers ago.
As shared by Fabrizio Romano on his X handle, he said:
“James Maddison will miss the majority of the new season with ACL injury, return date to be confirmed by Spurs staff later this year. Tottenham looking at the market again soon.”
The 28-year-old made a bright start to life at Tottenham, contributing goals and assists in the early months of the 2023/24 season, but struggled with fitness issues during the second half of the campaign. He had hoped to return fully fit and play a key role in Thomas Frank’s side this term.
Maddison’s absence leaves Tottenham short of creativity in midfield, with the club now expected to explore options in the transfer market to fill the gap under new manager Thomas Frank.
Tottenham have been inspiring lately in their preseason games, having defeated Arsenal last week. The omission of Maddison might look short compared to the exit of former Captain Heung-min Son, who has left for the MLS.
This might help youngsters Lucas Bergvall and Alfie Devine could also see increased opportunities in pre-season and beyond.
Tottenham are yet to release an official statement, but the club is expected to provide an update ahead of their next pre-season fixture.
