Tottenham Hotspur do not need James Maddison to solve everything at once, but they do need a spark, and they need it soon. A fourth straight game without a goal has sharpened the urgency around their attack, and Maddison's expected return this week arrives at exactly the right time, even if it does not yet come with the freedom to throw him straight back into the starting XI.
That is the balance Tottenham now have to manage. Maddison tore his ACL at the end of the 2024/25 Premier League season, so his comeback is significant on its own. But being available and being ready to start are not the same thing, especially after a long layoff. The club will want to build him back carefully rather than treat him as an instant fix for an attack that has struggled for end product, including in Saturday afternoon's draw with Everton.
The creativity problem remains immediate
The broader issue is bigger than one player, though Maddison's return may help define the next stage of it. Tottenham have gone four straight games without scoring, and the new attacking arrivals have not yet changed that. Savio, Omar Marmoush and Mykhaylo Mudryk have not produced goals, which means the team still lacks the final touch to match its territorial work. In that context, Maddison matters because he can connect the phases that have been too disconnected.
Mohammed Kudus offers a similar kind of flexibility, even if he is still working back toward full sharpness. Against Everton, he played 30 minutes after returning from a worse-than-expected injury, and Roberto De Zerbi's old assessment helps explain why Tottenham were so interested in him. Before the match against Everton, De Zerbi said he had wanted Kudus when he was in Brighton, describing him as someone who can play wide, as a number 10 and even as a striker. That versatility is useful, but it also hints at a larger question: where does Tottenham get its best central creativity while Maddison is still being managed carefully?
That question matters because the middle of the pitch has been the club's obvious pressure point. If Kudus can be used inside, Tottenham gain another way to play through congested areas instead of relying only on wide service. If Maddison is eased back in behind him, the team may eventually have more than one player capable of unlocking a low block. For now, though, the emphasis is on availability, not perfection.
Why the timing matters
This is where the return starts to feel meaningful. Tottenham are not asking Maddison to be at full volume immediately. They are asking him to help stop a scoring problem that has now lasted four matches, while avoiding the mistake of bringing him back too aggressively after an ACL injury. That is a delicate trade-off, but it is also a sensible one.
There is a reason the club has already been managing expectations around return timelines, as seen in the build-up to earlier squad updates such as Archie Gray: Maddison, Fernandes and Udogie available for Brentford opener and Mateus Fernandes injury fears unfounded as James Maddison and Tottenham avoid another pre-season headache. The theme is consistent: Tottenham want their creative pieces available, but they also need them available in a way that lasts.
So the headline is simple enough. Maddison is expected back this week, and that is a boost. But Tottenham's immediate challenge is less about the emotional lift of his return and more about how carefully they can use him. In a team that has gone four games without scoring, that distinction could shape the next few weeks of the season.
