James Maddison to Miss Most of Next Season After ACL Injury

The Tottenham midfielder, aged 28, is set to be sidelined through most of the upcoming Premier League season following a serious knee injury. Maddison sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear during a pre-season friendly against Newcastle last week and will require surgery to repair the damage.

The injury occurred after an seemingly minor challenge, with Maddison collapsing in agony on the pitch. He was visibly distressed as medics attended to him, before being stretchered off and taken from the field on crutches. Subsequent tests confirmed a ruptured ACL, a setback that will keep him out of action for several months.

Further examinations revealed that the injury affected the same knee he had previously injured last season, which caused him to miss Tottenham’s Europa League final victory over Manchester United. The club has confirmed that Maddison will undergo surgery in the coming days, followed by a lengthy period of rehabilitation.

Tottenham’s head coach, Thomas Frank, described the injury as severe. “It was a bad injury, and of course, very unfortunate since Maddison had just returned to match fitness,” he said. The team expressed their support, with a statement wishing him a speedy recovery.

The incident was distressing for team-mates, including Son Heung-min, who watched as Maddison was treated and ultimately carried off the field. Maddison’s absence could impact Tottenham’s campaign significantly, especially since they recently signed him from West Ham for £55 million. The club might now need to look for reinforcements to fill the midfield gap.

Statistics from last season highlight Maddison’s importance to Tottenham: they won 51% of matches with him in the side, compared to only 24% without him. His injury complicates Tottenham’s plans for the season, especially with other key players like Dejan Kulusevski also sidelined due to injuries.

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