Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has said that there is a “good chance” Dejan Kulusevski will return from injury before the end of the year.
Kulusevski hurt his right knee in Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace in May. The 25-year-old underwent surgery on his patella (kneecap) and missed their Europa League final victory over Manchester United.
Kulusevski was a key player for Spurs under former head coach Ange Postecoglou but he has spent the last few months recovering from his operation. The Sweden international scored 10 goals and recorded multiple assists last season, including Pedro Porro’s strike in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final win over Bodo/Glimt.
“Kulusevski is a top player, I always liked him when I saw him from afar,” Frank said before Spurs’ Carabao Cup tie against Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday night. “He is a key player for us, a key player for me. Instead of putting an exact month, I just want him back as soon as possible. The medical guys and Kulusevski are working very hard on that. It’s not tomorrow but hopefully not too far away.”
Randal Kolo Muani and Ben Davies are unavailable to face Doncaster because of “minor” injuries, Frank added. Kolo Muani played once for Spurs since he joined them from Paris Saint-Germain on the final day of the transfer window.
Kota Takai and club-record signing Dominic Solanke took part in training on Tuesday but are unlikely to feature against Doncaster.
What could Kulusevski’s return mean for Spurs?
Kulusevski was sensational for Spurs at the beginning of last season.
He predominantly played in a central attacking midfield role and became the team’s chief creator under then head coach Ange Postecoglou.
He faded in the second half of the campaign because Tottenham’s injury crisis afforded him barely any rest. Kulusevski then missed a month of action with a foot issue before his campaign ended a couple of weeks early after he hurt his right kneecap in a defeat to Crystal Palace on May 11.
Kulusevski and James Maddison’s lengthy absences are a key reason why Spurs spent the majority of the summer trying to sign a creative midfielder. They missed out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze before signing Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig in a €60million deal.
Kulusevski’s return from injury would give Frank an extra attacking option in the No 10 role and an alternative to Mohammed Kudus on the right wing. Kudus has started every game for Spurs this season and will need a rest at some stage.
It will take time for Kulusevski to return to top form after spending such a long time on the sidelines.
If he can reach the levels that he set this time a year ago, then he could be crucial for Frank’s Spurs who have struggled to consistently create chances from open play this season.
(Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)