Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is expected to be out for around three months with a hamstring injury sustained in their Premier League game against Bournemouth last Wednesday.
Bentancur, 28, was forced off in the latter stages of Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth. Head coach Thomas Frank confirmed at full time the midfielder had sustained a hamstring injury and that initial assessments had indicated it appeared significant.
Spurs are expected to look to the transfer market to supplement their midfield in the wake of Bentancur’s diagnosis, sources briefed on the situation say.
Bentancur has made 28 appearances in all competitions this season, starting 17 of his side’s 21 Premier League matches. He signed a new long-term contract with the club in October.
The Uruguay international joins a Spurs long-term injury list that already includes James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski. Richarlison was also forced off during Saturday’s FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa with a suspected hamstring injury, while Lucas Bergvall missed the match due to a problem picked up against Bournemouth. Striker Dominic Solanke, meanwhile, returned following four months out with an ankle injury.
Spurs are 14th in the Premier League and return to action against West Ham United on Saturday.
Bentancur injury exposes under-investment
Tottenham have been left even weaker in the middle of the pitch by the news that Bentancur will require surgery on a hamstring injury.
The Uruguayan has been one of Spurs’ most important players so far this season, starting the season partnering Joao Palhinha in the middle and, more recently, Archie Gray.
Even though Tottenham have rarely dazzled in the middle of the pitch, Bentancur has still been busily trying to hold everything together. Spurs’ reliance on Bentancur has been a sign of the under-investment in the midfield in recent years.
Now that Bentancur is out for the next few months, Palhinha and Gray will have to be the starting pair, at least until Pape Matar Sarr comes back from international duty — Senegal play their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against Egypt on Wednesday. And Tottenham will surely need another experienced addition in the middle of the pitch.