Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank provides the latest update on injured star Dejan Kulusevski
Tottenham Hotspur now turn their attention back to the Premier League, hosting London rivals Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
The Carabao Cup fourth-round elimination at the hands of Newcastle United in midweek was a bitter pill to swallow for Thomas Frank and the fans, especially after the Spurs gaffer had aimed to go deep in all competitions. But considering the growing injury list and the forthcoming busy schedule, it might be a blessing in disguise for the north London club.
Tottenham had double-digit injury absentees for the cup game against Newcastle United, who won the contest 2-0 and moved to the quarter-finals. Young Archie Gray was expected to start the game but suffered a calf injury last week in the 0-0 draw with AS Monaco and has been since been ruled out for weeks.
Spurs have been handed some promising news on the injury front on Friday, with Thomas Frank confirming in his presser that Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert are all fit and available for selection against Chelsea. The trio’s return offers a bit of respite to the growing injury list at White Hart Lane, although Thomas Frank still has several players on the treatment table.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank provides the latest update on injured star Dejan Kulusevski.
Dejan Kulusevski has not played for Tottenham since suffering knee injury in May
Thomas Frank provides Dejan Kulusevski injury update
Some Tottenham stars picked up season-ending injuries last term and subsequently were unable to participate in the Europa League final against Manchester United. One of them was Dejan Kulusevski, suffered a serious knee injury in May before the Europa League final.
The Sweden international, who played a key role for Spurs in lifting the Europa League title, underwent patella surgery after suffering a knee injury in the home defeat to Crystal Palace. The creative midfielder has been out of action since then, thereby, failing to feature under Frank so far. The 25-year-old said in mid-September that he’d most likely return to action before the end of 2025.
Kulusevski has shed light on his “difficult” injury and recovery process but that has helped his desire to return to action grow stronger. Now, Frank has given a brief update on the Scandinavian talent’s injury situation, revealing that the player has not yet resumed outdoor training.
“That’s a good question, he’s still not on the grass and we’re working very hard to get him fit as quick as possible, I think my message is that he’s not on the grass yet,” Frank said (h/t Football London).
Kulusevski not close to returning for Spurs
Frank’s latest update suggests Kulusevski is still some time away from returning to action for Tottenham. The club opted not to register him for the Champions League group stage, acknowledging that his rehabilitation would need to be proper to avoid a relapse of the given injury.
Last season, the Swedish star was a driving force for the north London outfit, scoring 10 goals and providing 11 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions. Ange transforming him into a central midfielder worked wonders, and the fans saw the best of Kulusevski. So, it is but obvious the ex-Juventus man’s creativity, guile and work rate has been missed in Frank’s side.
The Danish boss would be raring to see the 25-year-old return to full fitness and get back to playing regularly.