Tottenham remain mired in relegation trouble, but fit-again James Maddison has been backed to make a difference after his eagerly-anticipated return from injury on Monday.
Maddison was introduced off the bench in the 85th minute of Spurs’ 1-1 draw at home to Leeds to make his first competitive appearance in 375 days.
A typically candid Maddison described this campaign as “one to forget” for everyone associated with Spurs on Monday after a bright cameo in a draw that leaves the club 17th with a two-point cushion to the Premier League relegation zone with two games left.
However, Maddison is finally able to contribute after a frustrating watching front and his old boss Daniel Farke has no doubt the “baller” can have an impact after he had a front row seat to his comeback where he almost won a stoppage-time penalty against Leeds.
Maddison flourished under the Leeds boss at Norwich, and Farke said: “I have a soft spot for James Maddison. He was my player when he was pretty young.
“If you love football, then you love James Maddison because he is a pure baller. For me, he is one of the most creative, gifted and talented midfield players in England.
“You feel (sorry) when such a great footballer and even better human being is out for such a long time, but I was just delighted to see him back in the last matchday squads.
“What he has shown in the last few minutes, although he was out for such a long time, he can be there with a decisive pass, or a decisive cross or a decisive set-piece.
“He is also smart in and around the box to win sometimes smart free-kicks or perhaps even try to win a penalty sometimes. It’s always good when you have an option like James Maddison. I’m pretty sure he will and can play an important part in the run-in.”
Maddison scored 12 goals and produced 11 assists for Spurs during a roller-coaster 2024-25 campaign.
No Tottenham player has reached that tally this season and unwanted records have tumbled - including a 15-match winless run in the Premier League.
Even with Maddison likely to be limited to substitute appearances against Chelsea and Everton, his composure, calm and quality in the final third should help Spurs regardless of the game-state.
But just as the England international neared his return, Spurs lost club captain Cristian Romero to a collateral ligament injury, and the Argentinian press have shared an intriguing update on his recovery timeline.
Tottenham bring in specialist to treat Romero injury
According to Diario Crónica, via Sport Witness, Romero's injury recovery plans have changed in recent days.
The Spurs defender was supposed to undergo the rest of his rehabilitation at the national team training centre in Argentina, but has decided to stay in London due to the survival battle.
Kinesiologist Luis García will instead travel from Argentina to England to help with the recovery, and there are 'positive developments physically' with the 28 year-old now out of his knee brace.
The estimated recovery time is between six and seven weeks, which would give him a good chance of making the World Cup, with four weeks passed since the injury and four weeks to go before the tournament.