Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly received a positive update on James Maddison after the midfielder suffered a shoulder injury during his return to first-team action.
Football London correspondent Alasdair Gold says the 29-year-old is expected to be back playing within a couple of weeks, easing fears that he could face another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Maddison missed almost the entire 2025-26 season because of injury before making his comeback as a second-half substitute against Brentford on Saturday. However, Tottenham endured a difficult start to the new Premier League campaign, suffering a 3-0 defeat under Roberto De Zerbi.
The England international spent just 22 minutes on the pitch before taking an awkward fall onto his shoulder, immediately sparking concerns over another potential injury setback.
Those fears increased on Tuesday when a prominent Spurs source on X described the problem as “not good at all”, leaving supporters worried that Maddison could once again be unavailable for a significant period.
However, Gold has since offered a much more encouraging update. According to David Ornstein, scans revealed that Maddison suffered a minor fracture in his shoulder, but the damage is not considered serious. He is expected to return within 10-14 days.
There is further optimism at Tottenham because Maddison was already able to train on Monday, suggesting the injury is relatively minor and that he should be back in contention soon.
Maddison could be a major boost for De Zerbi
The possibility of Maddison missing only around two weeks represents a major boost for both Tottenham and De Zerbi.
Spurs’ disappointing performance against Brentford once again highlighted their lack of creativity, leadership and personality. Maddison possesses qualities in all three areas and could make a significant difference when fully fit.
Since joining Tottenham, Maddison has made 79 appearances, including 58 starts, while contributing 16 goals and 21 assists.
De Zerbi’s belief in the midfielder was clear last season when he included Maddison in his squad during Tottenham’s relegation battle, despite the fact that he was not yet fit enough to play.
The Italian previously explained the importance of Maddison’s presence within the group, highlighting his experience, personality and ability to remain calm under pressure.
De Zerbi also stressed that he wanted Maddison to remain fully involved with the team even when he was unable to play, so that he could immediately return to the manager’s plans once fit.
Although Maddison featured for the final stages against Brentford, the match was effectively beyond Tottenham’s reach by that point.
Spurs particularly struggled to create chances against Keith Andrews’ side, with Conor Gallagher, Sandro Tonali and Lucas Bergvall forming the starting midfield.
De Zerbi will therefore be hoping Maddison’s recovery continues smoothly and that the midfielder can return to the starting XI soon, giving Tottenham the creativity and experience they badly need.
