Maddison to miss majority of season with torn ACL

James Maddison joined Tottenham in a £40m deal from Leicester in 2023

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and is expected to miss the majority of the forthcoming season.

Sources have told BBC Sport that Maddison is set to have surgery and will become a long-term absentee as he starts his recovery programme.

The 28-year-old suffered the injury in the pre-season draw against Newcastle in South Korea last weekend.

Manager Thomas Frank confirmed after the match that Maddison had injured the same knee that ruled him out of the Europa League final victory against Manchester United in May.

Since returning from Asia on Monday, Maddison has undergone tests in recent days to ascertain the severity of the injury.

Initial fears were that Maddison had suffered a cruciate ligament injury and those concerns have now been realised.

Maddison, a 2023 signing from Leicester City, scored 12 goals in 45 appearances for Spurs last season.

He has seven England caps, the most recent of which came in 2024.

'Spare a thought for Frank'

Thomas Frank has had time to brace himself for Son Heung-min's departure – but the long-term unavailability of Maddison is extremely unwelcome, to say the least.

Son's farewell match in South Korea earlier this week was marred by the latest knee injury suffered by Maddison.

The anguished expression on his face said it all, and the sympathy lies with him.

But spare a thought for Frank, who in his first season in charge, faces losing two key attacking players.

You'd imagine that Spurs will give big consideration to entering the market for a new attacking midfielder.

Had their move for Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White ended successfully then the requirement to enter the market for offensive reinforcements would be significantly less pressing.

Such attacking quality is hard to come by. Expensive, too.

Mohammed Kudus, signed from West Ham this summer, has played centrally before and could provide an option.

But Spurs will have to do something to replace Maddison's contribution.