Sunday's friendly against Newcastle was supposed to be all about Son Heung-min.
The Korean superstar confirmed ahead of the fixture that he intends to leave Tottenham this summer following a decade of service, and both sets of players, including former Lilywhite Kieran Trippier, certainly gave Son the send-off he deserved as Thomas Frank withdrew him just after the hour mark.
We'll continue to watch and weep over Son compilations for weeks on end, but, unfortunately, the 1-1 draw with the Magpies supplied another reason for supporters to be downbeat.
James Maddison is going to be out for a very long time with a knee injury, folks.
Thomas Frank provides no reassurance over 'brutal' James Maddison injury
The incident was rather innocuous, with Maddison thrusting himself into a challenge but failing to make contact. Maddison knew immediately, as he limped out of play with his hands on his head. The stretcher was called, and Frank failed to offer any unlikely reassurance post-match.
"Sometimes in life and football things can be both beautiful and brutal," the Dane told reporters post-match (via the Premier League).
"That's what we got today. It looks like with Madders a bad injury and then on the other side unbelievable scenes for Son from his team-mates and the respect from the Newcastle players [who gave Son a guard of honour].
"We're pretty sure it was the same knee he [Maddison] injured before."
James Maddison coming through the mixed zone on crutches. He understandably looked devastated with his hood pulled down low. Thomas Frank said it was the same knee as before and thinks it's a bad one. pic.twitter.com/NCYcmtWSnK
— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) August 3, 2025
The ex-Leicester star missed the end of last season due to a knee injury sustained in the 3-1 victory over Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of our Europa League semi-final at the start of May. Maddison had been eased back in at the start of pre-season, and made his first appearance of the summer in the 1-0 win against Arsenal in Hong Kong.
There's not yet confirmation over the extent of the issue, but a torn ACL seems likely. As a result, Maddison could miss the entirety of the 2025/26 season, which, in short, is a massive blow.
The setback means Tottenham simply must purchase a creative midfielder before the transfer window slams shut. We were willing to commit £60m to Morgan Gibbs-White after completing the purchase of Mohammed Kudus, and supporters will want to see those funds dedicated to Maddison mitigation.
Even if Spurs do make a splash, the Englishman's absence will be tough for Frank to overcome at the start of his tenure. Maddison is a masterful creator who picks locks in the final third and is able to reliably aid the build-up phase. His injury will only exacerbate the current creative woes in midfield, especially with Dejan Kulusevski also out.
Cruel.