Spurs Launch Injury Review After Season of Fitness Chaos

Tottenham have begun a wide-ranging review into why their season was derailed by injuries, with particular attention on an unusual number of anterior cruciate ligament problems. The club survived relegation on the final day thanks to a 1-0 win over Everton, but the campaign was badly disrupted by the repeated absence of key players.

The internal audit is being led by performance director Dan Lewindon, who joined from the City Football Group earlier this year. Spurs are examining everything from training methods and medical processes to pitch conditions and rehabilitation practices, all in an effort to understand why their availability numbers fell so badly.

A major concern is the number of ACL injuries. James Maddison, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons all suffered long-term ACL setbacks, while Dejan Kulusevski missed the entire season after undergoing surgery on a serious knee injury suffered at the end of 2024-25. Club medical staff have acknowledged that Tottenham have suffered more ACL problems than they should have, prompting a deeper look into possible causes.

Part of the review includes testing the “bounce” of the pitch at Spurs’ home ground and comparing it with the surface at the Enfield training centre and rival stadiums. So far, there is no evidence of a major difference, but the checks are still ongoing. The club also believe that some injuries were simply unavoidable, with Odobert’s ACL damage coming after an awkward landing. Spurs are similarly confident that the treatment Simons received on the pitch did not make his injury worse, despite criticism from supporters.

Lewindon is also pushing for more personalised medical support. The club wants to create bespoke player profiles that combine physical, psychological and performance data so that recovery and prevention plans can be tailored more precisely. Spurs are also prepared to allow injured players more freedom to complete rehabilitation away from the training ground, provided everyone involved agrees a common recovery plan.

That flexibility reflects a wider shift in how clubs manage fitness and recovery, but Tottenham want to keep responsibility within a shared structure rather than letting medical care drift into separate camps. The medical department is expected to work closely with head coach Roberto de Zerbi and his staff over the summer, with concerns that three managerial changes in less than 12 months have also contributed to instability and injury problems.

Psychology is another area of focus, and Spurs plan to appoint a full-time head of psychology to support players and staff. The club believe mental resilience and injury recovery are linked, and they want a more integrated system before next season begins.

The numbers underline the scale of the problem. Average player availability was around 77 percent, and the squad collectively missed more than 2,000 days. Spurs want to push availability closer to 90 percent and cut the total absence figure below 1,000 days, though they admit that will be difficult to achieve quickly.

The review suggests Tottenham see this as more than bad luck. They want to understand whether the injuries came down to training load, medical processes, pitch conditions or something deeper in the club’s structure. The answer will shape how they prepare for next season and whether they can avoid another campaign defined by disruption.