Tottenham launches injury review after season of fitness issues
Tottenham is conducting an internal audit to address an unusual series of ACL injuries that disrupted their recent campaign.
Tottenham has launched an extensive internal audit to investigate why their season was severely impacted by fitness issues. A key focus of this review is an unusual spate of anterior cruciate ligament injuries that sidelined several important members of the squad.
Led by performance director Dan Lewindon, the club is examining factors behind the disruption. Reports indicate that player availability averaged approximately 77% last season, with squad members missing a combined total of more than 2,000 days. The club aims to improve these figures toward 90% availability and fewer than 1,000 days lost.
Long-term ACL injuries affected players including James Maddison, Wilson Odobert, and Xavi Simons, while Dejan Kulusevski missed the entire campaign following surgery. As part of the investigation, staff are testing the surface "bounce" at their home ground and training centre to rule out pitch-related causes.
Lewindon has recommended a shift toward individually tailored medical support, incorporating physical, psychological, and fatigue-related data into bespoke profiles for each player. The club is also set to allow more flexibility for rehabilitation outside the club’s facilities, provided it aligns with a unified recovery plan overseen by the medical team. This process will involve close coordination with head coach Roberto de Zerbi to ensure better alignment between the coaching staff and medical department.