Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank delivers major transfer update after devastating James Maddison blow

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has said that his side are "definitely in the market" for new players, including an attacking midfielder, with James Maddison facing a lengthy period on the sidelines.

Maddison suffered an ACL injury during the friendly with Newcastle United last weekend, and the Englishman is now facing a lengthy period on the sidelines with the severe issue.

The 28-year-old is set to undergo an operation which will rule him out of a large chunk of the 2025-26 campaign, strengthening Tottenham's need to bring in another player in that area of the field.

Frank has said that Spurs remain active in the transfer market and has accepted that a replacement for Maddison will need to be signed before the window closes for business.

"We are definitely in the market in general," Frank told reporters following his side's 4-0 loss to Bayern Munich in their final pre-season friendly of the summer.

"Of course, when players get a long-term injury we need to look into that, but generally we are in the market, yes. Nobody feels close or far away. I'm not saying anything before there's anything that is completely 100%."

Frank: Tottenham "definitely in the market" for new players

Dejan Kulusevski is also a long-term absentee for Spurs with a knee injury of his own, but Mohammed Kudus has been signed this summer to boost Frank's options in a wide area.

Meanwhile, one central midfielder has arrived, with Joao Palhinha recently returning to the Premier League, joining Tottenham on a one-season loan from Bayern Munich.

Spurs are now preparing to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup next Wednesday, before beginning their 2025-26 Premier League campaign at home to Burnley three days later.

“We were obviously playing a very good team tonight,” Frank told SPURSPLAY following the heavy defeat to Bayern. “Bayern in my opinion are one of the teams that probably are favourites to win the Champions League.

"They hit a good level, we didn’t hit a good level, that’s a bad combination but we will definitely learn from this one. I definitely got some answers that we will look into and we will calmly reflect on it after the game now and look through it. Also it seems like we lacked some energy somehow which we need to find – no team can play without that energy.”

Frank insists Tottenham will be ready for PSG battle

Frank, though, is certain that his side will be ready to face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup next week.

“We will 100% be ready for that game, I’m not in doubt about that,” said the manager. “There are six days ahead, we have a normal week for the first time in the last two weeks so with everything – just getting down, less travel, energise them (the players), three or four good sessions – then we will be ready against PSG.

“As a whole, from the start to now, I think overall it’s (pre-season) positive. It was a negative performance today and a negative result but overall there have been some really positive performances – the Arsenal one, we were pretty happy with a lot of bits in the Newcastle one – then it’s about that consistency in the team and the principles we want to get into the players.

"It will take a bit to get up to that consistent level that we want to but I’m not in doubt we will get there.”

Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League last season, but the North London club qualified for the league phase of the 2025-26 Champions League courtesy of their triumph in the Europa League.