Spurs hit by fresh injury blows as pressure builds on Thomas Frank
Latest: Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison
Standard Sport
Oli Gent
COMMENTS
Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri
I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.
Problems are piling up for Tottenham and their injury crisis has deepened ahead of a big week for Thomas Frank.
Saturday’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Aston Villa has added to the pressure on Frank and Spurs have been hit by two new injury blows.
Richarlison went off against Villa holding his hamstring and Rodrigo Bentancur looks set for a long spell on the sidelines with the hamstring injury he suffered at Bournemouth.
Dominic Solanke did return against Villa but Spurs are sweating on the fitness of Lucas Bergvall and Destiny Udogie ahead of what is a huge game against West Ham on Saturday.
Here is the latest tottenham-injury-news">Tottenham injury news and return dates…
Rodrigo Bentancur
Bentancur sustained a hamstring injury at Bournemouth on January 7.
The midfielder was replaced by Archie Gray late on and Spurs immediately feared the worst.
“Rodri has a hamstring injury - looks like a bigger one, unfortunately,” said Frank. “We don’t know the time frame. That we will know later.”
Bentancur has since been for scans and reports in his native Uruguay claim the midfielder is expected to be out for at least three months.
Read More
Frank accuses Watkins of 'provoking' Tottenham star before mass brawl
Three things we learned from Spurs loss as Frank's time ticks away
Thomas Frank reveals Richarlison injury latest after Spurs suffer FA Cup exit
Sponsored
Is coffee the future of socialising? This stylish spot thinks so
Potential return date: April/May
Rodrigo Bentancur faces a long spell out
Getty Images
Richarlison
Richarlison Spurs’ latest injury worry after he hobbled off against Villa holding his hamstring.
The Brazilian has missed chunks of the last few seasons with hamstring issues, and Frank called on the footballing authorities to “look into” mounting injury lists after Richarlison’s withdrawal.
“I think we have done a lot of things right to get him where he is now; I think he has done a lot of things right,” Frank said.
“It's not only about us, it's about every club. I think there are a few injuries across the Premier League.
“I think it's something for the football authorities to look into as well. We played five games in 13 days, four in 10, that's one of the few clubs that did that, and this is our third time this season.
“That's the most tricky thing with two days in between. We are dealing with it, we are doing everything we can to compete in it, but that's a tough schedule.”
Richarlison is being assessed as Spurs wait to learn how long he will be out.
Potential return date: Unknown
Getty Images
Mohammed Kudus
Kudus suffered a thigh injury early in the draw with Sunderland, in the same week Spurs sold Brennan Johnson.
It was revealed last week that Kudus’ injury is worse than first feared and Frank has said he will not return to action until the March international break.
“Mohammed, unfortunately, is a bigger one to the tendon in the quad,” Frank said. “That is one where we expect him back after the March international break.”
Without Kudus, Spurs do not have a natural right winger fit in their current first-team squad.
Potential return date: April 2026
Mohammed Kudus has been ruled out until April
Getty Images
Destiny Udogie
Udogie is in closing in on a return from a hamstring injury, but he did not feature in the Villa defeat.
The left-back suffered a soft tissue problem back in December, with Frank assuring that the Italian would not be out for “too long”.
But he has now been out for eight games, despite the Spurs boss saying that he was ahead of Solanke on the comeback trail.
Solanke returned off the bench against Villa, while Udogie did not make the matchday squad.
Potential return date: January 17 vs West Ham (H)
Destiny Udogie is closing in on a return
Getty Images
Lucas Bergvall
Bergvall sustained a knock in the 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth.
Frank said that the midfielder would be assessed ahead of Villa game but he did not make the squad.
“Lucas is being assessed today,” Frank said in his pre-match press conference last Thursday. “We will know more later today with him.”
Spurs will hope Bergvall is fit to face West Ham
Potential return date: January 17 vs West Ham (H)
Dejan Kulusevski
Kulusevski has been out since April with a patella problem.
Frank has said that the club will not rush him back as he issued an update on him recovery last week: “We know it is a complicated injury.
“If there is one person who can accelerate that [recovery], it is Dejan. The most important thing is to remove the pain in the knee. He had an injection to help that ten days ago.
“We will know in 3-4 weeks if that has settled. And when it has settled, hopefully, he will be on the grass and from there, we will see what is happening.”
Potential return date: Unknown
James Maddison
Maddison will likely miss the remainder of the season after he sustained an ACL injury during pre-season.
The attacking midfielder suffered the problem in Korea in a friendly against Newcastle, and has not played at all this term.
Potential return date: Summer 2026
MORE ABOUT