Tottenham Hotspur have been handed an unwelcome fitness scare, with new arrival Mykhailo Mudryk set to be out of action for several weeks after picking up a knock in training.
Having finished 17th in the Premier League in each of the previous two campaigns, the North London outfit invested heavily this summer to give Roberto De Zerbi the tools to overhaul his squad and push the club back up the table.
Spurs strengthened both midfield and defence, while also bringing in Martin Dubravka as competition for Antonin Kinsky following Guglielmo Vicario’s departure to Juventus. Elsewhere, Omar Marmoush and Savio arrived from Manchester City to bolster the forward line and right flank respectively.
With Dejan Kulusevski still recovering from a long-term issue and Wilson Odobert nursing a troublesome knee problem, a left-sided attacker was high on Tottenham’s shopping list. Iliman Ndiaye and Cody Gakpo were both heavily linked, though neither move materialised, with Gakpo remaining at Anfield and Ndiaye instead heading to the Etihad.
Fresh Setback
Unable to land their preferred targets, Tottenham turned to Chelsea and secured Mudryk on a deadline-day loan. The Ukrainian had only recently returned from an extended doping suspension, making his arrival something of a gamble that now looks even riskier.
According to Football London, the winger will miss the upcoming fixtures against Everton, Liverpool and Aston Villa, with a return unlikely before the next international break.
Cover Options
Mathys Tel appears the obvious deputy, having flashed promise in pre-season without quite carrying that form into competitive matches yet. Given his age, patience seems sensible.
Savio offers another option out wide, potentially allowing De Zerbi to shift Mohammed Kudus back to his more familiar right-hand side. Kudus, now fully fit after a stop-start end to last season, showed real quality following his move from West Ham and could thrive with a settled role.