(Credit: Imago)
Sat 9 August 2025 8:10, UK
Tottenham attacking midfielder James Maddison will undergo surgery after a ruptured ACL in his right knee.
The England international is expected to be ruled out for a number of months as he will be undergoing his rehab.
Maddison, 28, picked up the injury in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle in South Korea and it will see him miss all or most of the upcoming season.
Thomas Frank will be gutted after Maddison’s injury. (Credit: Imago)
This article includes exclusive opinion from injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar, a doctor in physical therapy and a sports scientist.
Maddison faces eight to nine months on the sidelines
Dr Rajpal Brar has explained that while it takes eight to nine months for elite footballers to return to action, it also depends on the full extent of the injury.
The priority will be to minimise the strength and mobility deficits for Maddison, that come with ACL ruptures.
After that, the medical staff will work with Maddison to get him back to walking and also build back his strength and mobility.
PlayerACL recovery timeBentancur8.5 monthsPerisic9-10 monthsAmos8 months (second time)Dragusin9 months (estimated)Spurs players who previously suffered ACL ruptures
Dr Brar told Tottenham News: “This is typically an eight to nine-month return to play process for elite footballers, but also depends on the full extent of the injury, as the meniscus is often involved, and also which graft is used and so on.
“At the start, it will be all about trying to minimise strength and mobility deficits.
“Then it will be a gradual build-up over time, working his way back to walking and other movements while constantly focused on building strength, mobility and neuromuscular control.
“It will be a slow process, but they need to be very careful with his rehab.”
If Maddison were to miss nine months of action, it means he won’t be available until the start of May. At which point, it remains to be seen if he’ll even be risked in what could either be meaningless or high-stakes matches at the end of the season.
Maddison will not return before 2026. (Credit: Imago)Tottenham will undoubtedly miss Maddison’s impact on the pitch
Maddison’s absence is a significant blow for Tottenham due to his creative flair and playmaking ability.
As a key midfielder, his vision, precise passing and knack for unlocking defences drive Spurs’ attack.
Without him, Tottenham’s fluidity and goal-scoring threat diminish, impacting their top-four aspirations in the Premier League.
Thomas Frank will need to find solutions quickly, as this is far from an ideal situation.
Sign up for the daily Tottenham News newsletter on Substack and our new WhatsApp channel to have all the latest, breaking Tottenham Hotspur news sent straight to your phone.
Related Posts