Alious
Tottenham Hotspur’s prolonged anticipation of James Maddison making a comeback this season has been dealt a major setback, after new details revealed that the recent training clips did not indicate he was anywhere close to returning to action.
Spurs have spent the entire campaign without their creative talisman, and their struggles reflect it. Sitting 18th in the table and staring relegation in the face, the North London side’s decline has only intensified in Maddison’s absence.
The attacking midfielder suffered a devastating ACL injury during pre-season, ruling him out for the entirety of the campaign — despite brief optimism sparked by clips of him training at Hotspur Way.
Those glimpses now appear misleading.Manager Roberto De Zerbi would undoubtedly benefit from Maddison’s return as the season reaches its critical final stretch, especially with Spurs trailing West Ham United by just two points and only six games remaining.
However, any hopes of a dramatic comeback have effectively been shut down.According to Sky Sports journalist Uma Gurav, Maddison’s presence in training is strictly part of a carefully managed recovery process — not a signal of competitive readiness.
His reintegration into the squad is expected to be gradual, with no indication that he will feature in a matchday squad anytime soon.
That update delivers a major blow to Spurs fans clinging to hope.Maddison was instrumental last season under Ange Postecoglou, contributing 22 combined goals and assists across all competitions.
In the Premier League alone, his influence was undeniable — registering 16 goal contributions, averaging 1.64 dribbles and 1.20 key passes per 90 minutes, and creating 41 chances in just 21 starts.His absence this season has left a gaping creative void.
Tottenham’s attacking numbers underline just how badly he’s been missed. The team has struggled to generate quality opportunities, recording one of the lowest expected goals (xG) totals in the league at 33.3.
Even more concerning, only 25 of their 40 league goals have come from open play, highlighting a lack of fluid attacking threat.Maddison also brought intensity beyond creativity, winning 53% of his duels — a competitive edge sorely lacking in the current squad.
With Spurs enduring a disastrous run — losing seven of their last eight league matches and collecting just five points in 2026 so far — the absence of their playmaker has proven catastrophic.
He averaged a goal every 0.45 games last season — the kind of consistent attacking output Tottenham have simply failed to replace.Now, with any realistic chance of his return this season all but gone, the outlook is bleak.
Without Maddison’s spark, it’s increasingly difficult to see where De Zerbi can turn for inspiration as Tottenham’s relegation nightmare edges closer to becoming reality.
Alious
