Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma suffered an ankle injury on Sunday while away on international duty with Mali
Yves Bissouma is expected to be sidelined for weeks - rather than months - after picking up an ankle injury in Mali's 4-1 World Cup qualification win over Madagascar on Sunday.
The tough-tackling midfielder was stretchered off just a matter of seconds after entering the fray as a substitute.
Although Bissouma is yet to feature for Spurs this season, there were fears he was set for a long spell on the sidelines.
However, Football.London has been told by sources close to the Mali national team camp that Bissouma is expected to miss around two to three weeks of action with the injury, if all goes to plan.
Spurs medical staff are expected to survey the injury themselves when Bissouma returns to London but the ex-Brighton maestro is understood to have suffered an ankle contusion (significant bruising).
With treatment and physiotherapy, Bissouma could be back on the grass before the end of the month, though there will be a reluctance to rush his return given he has only just shaken off a knee issue.
The 29-year-old, who came close to joining Fenerbahce in the summer transfer window, was dropped from Thomas Frank's squad for the UEFA Super Cup defeat to PSG in August due to a disciplinary issue.
Bissouma has since received several public messages of support online from his international colleagues since suffering his injury.
He has also issued a statement in which he outlined his ambition to recover as soon as possible.
"Zero regrets," Bissouma wrote on Instagram. "I once again thoroughly enjoyed representing my country, and if I had to do it all over again, I would do it for the love of my country.
"I fell, but I will know how to get back up. Every challenge is a lesson, every fall a reminder of my faith and my strength. This is not the end, just the beginning of a new chapter, stronger, more determined. See you soon."
Bissouma was omitted from Tottenham's Champions League squad in early September. Speaking after the decision, Frank insisted that Bissouma still had a future in N17, providing he impressed during training.
The Dane said: "There are no hard feelings at all. Not before, not now, not at all. Train well and everyone has an opportunity."
The arrival of Bayern Munich loanee Joao Palhinha has pushed the Mali international further down the pecking order.
While he started last season's Europa League final, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray are all favoured by Frank.