Tottenham look to have avoided a defensive injury crisis despite Micky van de Ven being forced off while playing for the Netherlands.
The Spurs captain left the pitch late on during Sunday night’s 2-1 Nations League Group A2 win over Serbia in Belgrade, having had his left hand accidentally stepped on in painful fashion by Serbian striker Luka Jovic.
Van de Ven initially had two of his fingers strapped up and continued in the game before later departing, leaving the Netherlands to finish the match with 10 men after they had already used all of their allotted substitutions.
It was a worrying sight for Tottenham ahead of Saturday’s Premier League return against fellow strugglers Manchester United at Old Trafford, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi desperately seeking a first top-flight win of the season to lift his side off the foot of the table.
Spurs are already without right-back Pedro Porro due to a hamstring injury that saw him withdraw from the Spain squad at the start of the extended three-week international window, while Jan Paul van Hecke left the Dutch camp early last week due to a foot issue sustained in their first match against Serbia.
However, fears over a serious setback for Van de Ven that would have left De Zerbi without three members of his first-choice back four against United and dealing with a centre-back crisis have now been allayed after a new update from Netherlands boss Xavi.
“He’s ok, he felt dizzy because he suffered with his finger. It’s not a big injury,” the Spaniard said of Van de Ven in his press conference after the win over Serbia.
Van de Ven would have been returning to Tottenham now anyway, with the Netherlands having played all four of their Nations League fixtures during this window.
He will be further assessed by Spurs’ medical staff, who will offer any further treatment if required.
Tottenham also remain without Chelsea loanee Mykhailo Mudryk at present due to an ankle injury suffered last month, while long-term absentees Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are still recovering from ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments sustained last season.
Dejan Kulusevski has not played for the club since May 2025 due to a serious kneecap injury, but has been back in first-team training of late as he builds towards a long-awaited return.