James Maddison Endures Injury Scare During Friendly Match for Tottenham Hotspur, Exits Field on a Stretcher
James Maddison's pre-season with Tottenham Hotspur has taken a devastating turn after he suffered a serious knee injury during the team's friendly match against Newcastle United in South Korea on August 3, 2025.
Maddison, who had recently recovered from a long-term knee problem that sidelined him at the end of last season, including missing the Europa League final, was stretchered off the field just nine minutes into his substitution appearance. The injury appears to be a recurrence of the same knee issue, with Tottenham's head coach Thomas Frank describing the setback as "brutal" and "bad."
During the game, Maddison fell abruptly while pursuing the ball without appearing to make contact with an opponent. His injury has left Tottenham with a diminished attacking midfield options, prompting the team to actively seek reinforcements in the ongoing transfer window.
Specific medical details and the exact recovery timeline have not been publicly disclosed yet, but the context—repeated serious knee injury and recurrence shortly after returning—suggests a significant layoff, possibly several months.
Son Heung-min, who announced his decision to leave Tottenham this summer, received a guard of honor at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in South Korea before the match. West Ham sold Mohammed Kudus, and Bayern Munich signed Mathys Tel on a permanent contract during the same period.
Tottenham had also attempted to sign Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, but their efforts were vehemently rejected by the Forest management.
Sources:
- Sky Sports
- YouTube highlights and reports
- ESPN
- Spurs Web
Despite the ongoing transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur's search for attacking midfield reinforcements has been magnified due to James Maddison's severe knee injury during an international football friendly in South Korea. The injury, a recurrence of the same knee issue that sidelined him towards the end of last season, seems to demand several months of recovery, as suggested by the context. This setback is particularly discouraging, given Maddison's recent return to play, and follows Thomas Frank's description of it as a "brutal" and "bad" turn of events. Simultaneously, Son Heung-min, who is set to depart from Tottenham this summer, received a guard of honor at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, whereas West Ham sold Mohammed Kudus and Bayern Munich signed Mathys Tel during the same period. Nottingham Forest, however, have rebuffed Tottenham's attempts to sign Morgan Gibbs-White.
