James Maddison set to miss majority of 2025-26 season after Tottenham star suffers devastating ACL injury in pre-season

The injury occurred during Tottenham's recent pre-season encounter with Newcastle United in South Korea. The match, which ended in a draw, took a darker turn when Maddison was forced off after damaging his knee.

After returning to London from Asia at the start of the week, Maddison underwent a series of detailed scans and evaluations. The results have left the club with no choice but to accept that the 28-year-old will undergo surgery to repair his torn ACL. This latest setback is especially concerning as it affects the same knee that had previously kept Maddison out of Tottenham’s Europa League final triumph over Manchester United back in May.

Recovery from ACL injuries is typically long and demanding, often spanning six to nine months depending on individual response to treatment. Given the timing of the injury, Maddison's prospects for featuring again this season appear bleak.

Losing a player of Maddison’s calibre is a bitter pill for Tottenham to swallow, especially following the recent departure of Son Heung-min. While Son’s exit had been anticipated and factored into summer planning, Maddison’s injury has caught the club off guard and thrown their attacking plans into disarray. One name that may emerge as a short-term solution is Mohammed Kudus. The summer signing from West Ham United has experience playing in central attacking roles and could be deployed in Maddison’s position while the club searches for further reinforcements.

Tottenham’s pre-season preparations continue this week with a high-profile friendly against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich. The clash, set to take place on Thursday, is the final tune-up before an even bigger test: the UEFA Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain on August 13 in Udine, Italy.