/https://sportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net/uploads/2025/10/imago1067133078-1-68f2729e717a7146260430.jpg "Spurs midfielder could miss seven games as Frank gives mixed - Sports Mole")
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed one boost and one blow for his side on the injury front ahead of Sunday's Premier League battle with Aston Villa.
The Lilywhites will aim to keep pace with league-leading Arsenal at the top of the standings when they host the Lions, who are on the hunt for a fifth successive win across all tournaments.
Frank will be without a handful of known absentees for Sunday's game, as Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Radu Dragusin are still on the mend from knee injuries, while Dominic Solanke recently underwent ankle surgery.
On the brighter side, Randal Kolo Muani completed 45 minutes of a friendly against Watford during the international break, as the Paris Saint-Germain loanee closes in on his anticipated recovery from a thigh problem.
Speaking to journalists in his pre-game press conference, Frank confirmed that Kolo Muani would be in contention to make the matchday squad on Sunday, where the France international will battle Mathys Tel and Richarlison for the number nine spot.
Tottenham injury news: Randal Kolo Muani, Yves Bissouma updates delivered
"Yeah, all fine compared to last time. Kolo Muani has trained now for two weeks with the team, so that's good," football.london quotes Frank as saying.
"He looks better and better, he'll be in contention for the squad for tomorrow, so that's positive. He still needed a bit to go up to the higher level, but it's not to say that he can't be involved tomorrow and maybe can play minutes. I think it's fair to say he needs a little bit of time to get up to fully firing."
However, Spurs suffered a serious blow over the international break when Yves Bissouma was stretchered off in Mali's World Cup Qualifying win over Madagascar, having only just made his return from a previous fitness concern.
Frank confirmed that the midfielder had suffered an ankle injury which would sideline him for "weeks", although he could not put a definitive date on his comeback.
"Biss unfortunately had a situation with the national team, I think everyone saw that unfortunately, so he got a ligament injury to his ankle, they'll keep him out for weeks," Frank added.
Which Tottenham games could Yves Bissouma miss with ankle injury?
While no timeframe has been placed on Bissouma's recovery, Frank's "weeks" admission suggests that the Mali international will at least be absent until after the next international break in November.
Bissouma is therefore likely to sit out at least seven matches between now and the next pause, including high-profile games against Monaco (October 22), Newcastle United (October 29), Chelsea (November 1) and Manchester United (November 8).
However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion man is arguably surplus to requirements in North London and is looking increasingly likely to leave at the end of the season, having entered the final year of his contract.
Frank is still blessed with high-calibre midfield options in Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and Joao Palhinha, the latter of whom has excelled since his loan arrival from Bayern Munich.
Spurs can sign Palhinha permanently for around £26m next year, and the Portugal international's stance over a long-term Tottenham stay has apparently been made clear.
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