Tottenham Hotspur insider Alasdair Gold has delivered some interesting observations from training this week when it comes to forgotten man Dejan Kulusevski and summer signing Tosin Adarabioyo.
There is growing optimism at Spurs about Kulusevski’s return, as the Swedish attacker enters ramps up his rehabilitation after more than 500 days out of action.
The extended international break has given the 26-year-old some crucial extra time to work towards full fitness, with some reports suggesting that Kulusevski could finally be ready to feature over the coming weeks.
According to reports, Kulusevski’s progress has lifted the morale of his teammates at Hotspur Way, as Tottenham attempt to haul themselves off the bottom of the table after a disastrous start to the new season.
While the Sweden international did feature as a No.10 at times under Ange Postecoglou’s management, he has nominally been a right winger during his time at the club.
But, after watching the latest training video released by Spurs, Gold pointed out that Kulusevski was training to play centrally rather than out wide in what could be a more defined role for him going forward.
Gold wrote in Football.London: “The 26-year-old looked bright in the training footage from this week and set up teammate Mohammed Kudus for a couple of goals with some incisive passing.
“Despite the Ghanaian having been at Spurs for more than a year now and suffering from his own long-term injury, the two attackers have never played in a game together.
“With Kudus operating down the right and Kulusevski feeding him the ball into his runs in the small-sided mini-games, could Kulusevski be the number 10 De Zerbi turns to when he’s fully fit, with Maddison and eventually Xavi, rather than his more regular role as a right winger before his injury?”
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Tosin standing out from the crowd
Meanwhile, Gold was also struck by what he saw and heard from one of Tottenham’s last summer signings in Tosin.
He stated that the former Chelsea man’s voice could be heard throughout the four-minute video, suggesting that Tosin is the sort of vocal presence that Spurs have lacked in their backline, alongside his physical presence – especially after Jan Paul van Hecke was bullied by Aston Villa’s Nicolas Jackson last time out.
Gold added: “There was one noticeable player voice constantly heard during the training sessions, and that was summer signing Tosin Adarabioyo.
“In the training footage shown this week, Adarabioyo was constantly talking to those around him and barking instructions at his teammates, young and old.
“Spurs need some strong voices and personalities in the squad, and they could need the former Chelsea and Fulham defender in the weeks ahead as Jan Paul van Hecke has suffered a toe injury.”