LONDON (Reuters) -Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison will have surgery after injuring his anterior cruciate knee ligament, the Premier League club said on Thursday.
Maddison suffered the injury during a pre-season game against fellow Premier League side Newcastle United on Sunday and was taken off on a stretcher.
Manager Thomas Frank had said after the game that it was the same knee the 28-year-old injured in May that forced Maddison to sit out the final part of last season.
"We can confirm that James Maddison will undergo surgery for a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee," the club said.
The playmaker scored 12 goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions last season as Spurs won the Europa League to end a 17-year trophy drought.
Tottenham did not give a timeline on his return but ACL injuries normally sideline players for at least six months before they can resume training.
Spurs begin their season with a UEFA Super Cup clash against Champions League winners Paris St Germain in Udine, Italy on August 13 before kicking off their Premier League campaign at home to promoted Burnley three days later.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Ken Ferris)
