James Maddison faces a long period on the sidelines after Tottenham confirmed the midfielder had ruptured an anterior cruciate knee ligament. The England international sustained the injury during a pre-season game against Newcastle in Seoul and is to have an operation.
Spurs said: “We can confirm that James Maddison will undergo surgery for a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee … His surgery will take place in the coming days and, following that, James will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team. Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur wishes James a full and speedy recovery. We will be supporting him every step of the way.”
Maddison collapsed in pain with no one around him against Newcastle and left the pitch on a stretcher in the 86th minute. The 28-year-old missed the end of last season with a knee injury but returned last month to feature under the new head coach, Thomas Frank.
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Among the players signed by Spurs this summer has been another creative talent, Mohammed Kudus. The Ghana international was bought for £54.5m from West Ham, who have confirmed Michail Antonio will not be signing a new contract.
Antonio’s deal expired at the end of June but West Ham did not rule out keeping the forward, who is back playing after a serious car crash. They said on 8 June that an announcement would be made when “right and appropriate”. Antonio has played 45 minutes for the under-21 development team during pre-season.
The 35-year-old joined from Nottingham Forest in 2015 and made 323 appearances. West Ham said: “The club will continue to support and assist him in his ongoing rehabilitation, offering him access to training, facilities and medical care if needed.
“Dialogue continues over his future involvement with the club in an alternative capacity – including one that would enable others to benefit from his experience and leadership qualities – and he will forever hold a special place in our 130-year history. Everyone at West Ham United would like to sincerely thank Michail for his outstanding, dedicated service in a claret and blue shirt over the last 10 years.”
