Ange Postecoglou has delivered a considerable Tottenham injury update with three players in line to return. Spurs have been absolutely battered by marquee absences this season which has played a big role in results being mixed, but that could improve this weekend against Manchester United.
The Lilywhites have just enjoyed their first midweek break in over a month and while also helping a number of players recover, three injury returns could now occur. "Some of the lads who have been out for quite a while look like they’re in a good place now, Vic is probably the one who has come back ahead of schedule," he told Tottenham's official website.
"He’s been training really well away from the team for two weeks. In the last 10 days he’s integrated back into the team and is fully into training, so he’s in a good place and that means he becomes available for us.”
He added: "Madders is a little bit ahead of schedule (in his recovery). He’s feeling really good. He’s had a good week of training. We were thinking maybe (it'll be) next week for him, but he’s trained really well all week, and he’s had the least amount of time out, so he’s looking in a good place.
"Of the longer-term (injuries), Destiny is back in team training as well, which is good. He’s ticked all the boxes in terms of getting through his rehab and conditioning, so he’s part of the squad"
A total of eight players remain unavailable however, but it appears as though Radu Dragusin is the only one completely ruled out of returning in the next few weeks. Another two players are also technically out of the treatment room but may need a little bit more time before featuring, as revealed by Postecoglou.
"Wilson’s back, which is brilliant for him because he’s been out the longest and it’s been a long road for him to get back, but he’s back in team training.
“Brennan is progressing well. Again, he joined in team training, he will train again today which means, whether it’s this weekend or next weekend, he’ll be good to go. Timo is also training with us and is getting pretty close to being available.”
That leaves Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Richarlison as the remaining players still recovering. The latter only picked up his issue earlier this week in the Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool but is only expected to be out for a few weeks with a similar timeframe given for the other three.
"Micky, Cuti and Dom, again, we’re looking at the next two or three weeks for them. They’re going well," he said. "The healing in his [Romero's] quad is taking longer than we thought. He’s got one more scan to make sure it’s healed properly. Once we get that sign off, we should be good to go.
“Richy, again, similar to Madders and Brennan, who had similar calf injuries, depending on how he recovers – Madders bounced back really quickly, it’s only been two and a bit weeks for him, Brennan’s been three weeks - we’re looking at the same time frame for Richy.”
Both Romero and Solanke have not featured since suffering their respective injuries, however Van de Ven played 45 minutes in the Europa League against Elfsborg in late January but the Dutchmen has not been seen since. With supporters desperate to find out what is going on, Postecoglou has explained exactly why he has been absent.
"We've had a few people externally looking at him and give him some more guidance and information, added to our stuff, which he can do differently around, not so much the injury, but to help his body adapt to the extreme athlete he is and can be," the Spurs boss revealed.
"You always want to protect your assets and he is a major club asset and to protect his long-term career for the sake of a couple of weeks is worth it."
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