James Maddison returns to Tottenham training to boost survival hopes
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has returned to first-team training following a nine-month absence with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, providing a timely boost for manager Roberto De Zerbi’s relegation-threatened side.
The England international has been sidelined since suffering the severe knee issue during a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United in South Korea last August.
While club medical staff stress his current involvement is restricted to rehabilitation work, his presence offers significant optimism for a squad languishing in the bottom three.
Winless run piles pressure on De Zerbi
Spurs remain without a top-flight victory in 2026, a dismal sequence stretching 111 days.
Defeat to Sunderland last weekend plunged the north London club into the relegation zone at this advanced stage of a season for the first time in 17 years.
Top-flight survival is no longer in their own hands with just six critical matches remaining.
The Italian head coach is preparing for his first home match in charge, taking on former employers Brighton & Hove Albion at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday.
Injury crisis compounds Tottenham woes
A string of recent fitness setbacks has further complicated matters for the Lilywhites, who recently lost Mohammed Kudus and Cristian Romero to the treatment room.
Dejan Kulusevski also remains unavailable, having missed the entirety of the current campaign alongside his midfield counterpart.
However, the struggling outfit have been bolstered by Rodrigo Bentancur resuming training duties following a hamstring complaint sustained against Crystal Palace in late December.
The potential competitive return of their creative playmaker next month could prove decisive, with his recovery timeline theoretically making him available for May’s vital fixtures against Aston Villa, Leeds United and Chelsea.
