Transfermarkt

Injuries are unfortunately part and parcel of football but the extent to which clubs suffer from them can considerably impact their fortunes. With the rise of data science in football, clubs implement meticulous plans to limit the potential risks to players in training and recovery is so important in the modern game. But it’s ultimately impossible to fully avoid injuries and the workloads for elite footballers has never been higher.

With more international fixtures and an expanded Champions League, footballers at the biggest clubs in the world can easily play in excess of 60 games a season. Numerous superstars have spoken out about their increased burden on players with Rodri a notable example around the time of his Ballon d’Or win in 2024. The English Premier League is unquestionably the most physically demanding league in the world and therefore, using Transfermarkt data, we’ve calculated which clubs have suffered most from injuries this season.

Which Premier League club has suffered most this season?

We’ve collated the data from every Premier League club and looked at how many games their players have missed across all competitions this season. Unsurprisingly, Tottenham rank first and they’re miles ahead of any other English top-flight club with their injury nightmare well-documented. In total, Tottenham players have missed 363 games combined this season with several key players missing large chunks of the campaign - Dejan Kulusevski hasn’t played a single minute. If Tottenham get relegated to the English Championship then injuries will be a significant factor and it’s been used as an excuse for poor results by Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

©TM/IMAGO

Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi is facing a large-scale injury crisis which could leave the Italian tactician with just 14 senior players for the final stage of the battle for Premier League survival. Spurs finally had something to celebrate after ending their 15-game wait for a Premier League victory in 2026 with a priceless 1-0 win away at rock-bottom Wolves. But it came at a heavy cost with two key players forced off with injuries.

Club Comparison

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League

Premier League

€277.10m

Market Value

€802.50m

First Tier

League Level

First Tier

€149.10m

Expenditures 25/26

€265.60m

Rob Edwards

Managers

Roberto De Zerbi

Full Club Comparison

Xavi Simons was reduced to tears after suffering a suspected knee issue, while Dominic Solanke wore a glum expression as he felt his hamstring in the second half. It remains to be seen how long the pair will be sidelined, but it means Spurs now have 11 players with a combined market value of €365 million missing through injury. That's a huge chunk of their entire squad value, which amounts to €802.5 million. It's difficult to recall any other Premier League team down at the bottom being hit with such an extreme injury crisis.

De Zerbi gives Xavi Simons and Solanke injury updates

De Zerbi was cautious in his initial assessment of their respective injuries: “Solanke a muscular injury, Xavi it's a problem with his knee. We go to see in the next few days," he said. "Solanke it's not a big problem, I don't know how many games we lose him. I would like to know more about Xavi though because the knee, it's always different to the muscles. He felt pain but now I spoke with him and he feels better than the beginning when he got his injury.”

James Maddison, Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr are said to be nearing a return to full fitness, but were still ruled out of the game against Wolves. Captain Cristian Romero suffered a season-ending knee injury against Sunderland, while key players Mohammed Kudus has missed several months of the season. Wilson Odobert needed surgery on his knee problem, ruling him out for the rest of the season, as did Ben Davies on his ankle.

Where does Spurs' squad rank in squad market value if they are relegated?

If Tottenham were to go down, they would not only rank as the most valuable squad to ever be relegated, but they would practically face the drop with a squad worth double the amount of any other relegated side.

Spurs have a current squad value of €803 million, despite facing the biggest squad downgrade in March's Premier League market value update. This dwarfs the current record, which was set by Leicester in the 2022/23 season, in which they went down with a squad worth €444m.

It feels almost unfathomable that they could be relegated without those valuable players at their disposal. But De Zerbi will have to find ways to cope without his star men if they face weeks out, rather than days.

Spurs' remaining fixtures to avoid relegation

With four games to go, Spurs are two points from safety after West Ham secured a late 2-1 win against Everton. They have tough games against Aston Villa, Leeds, Chelsea and Everton still to play, and De Zerbi will be desperate for some positive updates concerning Simons and Solanke.

After gaining some positive momentum at long last, he simply cannot afford any more absences on top of the players already ruled out of action. If Maddison, Sarr and Udogie can make a contribution in the final games of the campaign, it could make all of the difference. But having just 14 senior players fit for the next league fixture on May 3 offers a nightmare scenario for the new Spurs boss as he navigates a turbulent period.

©TM/IMAGO

Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi is facing a large-scale injury crisis which could leave the Italian tactician with just 14 senior players for the final stage of the battle for Premier League survival. Spurs finally had something to celebrate after ending their 15-game wait for a Premier League victory in 2026 with a priceless 1-0 win away at rock-bottom Wolves. But it came at a heavy cost with two key players forced off with injuries.

Club Comparison

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League

Premier League

€277.10m

Market Value

€802.50m

First Tier

League Level

First Tier

€149.10m

Expenditures 25/26

€265.60m

Rob Edwards

Managers

Roberto De Zerbi

Full Club Comparison

Xavi Simons was reduced to tears after suffering a suspected knee issue, while Dominic Solanke wore a glum expression as he felt his hamstring in the second half. It remains to be seen how long the pair will be sidelined, but it means Spurs now have 11 players with a combined market value of €365 million missing through injury. That's a huge chunk of their entire squad value, which amounts to €802.5 million. It's difficult to recall any other Premier League team down at the bottom being hit with such an extreme injury crisis.

De Zerbi gives Xavi Simons and Solanke injury updates

De Zerbi was cautious in his initial assessment of their respective injuries: “Solanke a muscular injury, Xavi it's a problem with his knee. We go to see in the next few days," he said. "Solanke it's not a big problem, I don't know how many games we lose him. I would like to know more about Xavi though because the knee, it's always different to the muscles. He felt pain but now I spoke with him and he feels better than the beginning when he got his injury.”

James Maddison, Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr are said to be nearing a return to full fitness, but were still ruled out of the game against Wolves. Captain Cristian Romero suffered a season-ending knee injury against Sunderland, while key players Mohammed Kudus has missed several months of the season. Wilson Odobert needed surgery on his knee problem, ruling him out for the rest of the season, as did Ben Davies on his ankle.

Where does Spurs' squad rank in squad market value if they are relegated?

If Tottenham were to go down, they would not only rank as the most valuable squad to ever be relegated, but they would practically face the drop with a squad worth double the amount of any other relegated side.

Spurs have a current squad value of €803 million, despite facing the biggest squad downgrade in March's Premier League market value update. This dwarfs the current record, which was set by Leicester in the 2022/23 season, in which they went down with a squad worth €444m.

It feels almost unfathomable that they could be relegated without those valuable players at their disposal. But De Zerbi will have to find ways to cope without his star men if they face weeks out, rather than days.

Spurs' remaining fixtures to avoid relegation

With four games to go, Spurs are two points from safety after West Ham secured a late 2-1 win against Everton. They have tough games against Aston Villa, Leeds, Chelsea and Everton still to play, and De Zerbi will be desperate for some positive updates concerning Simons and Solanke.

After gaining some positive momentum at long last, he simply cannot afford any more absences on top of the players already ruled out of action. If Maddison, Sarr and Udogie can make a contribution in the final games of the campaign, it could make all of the difference. But having just 14 senior players fit for the next league fixture on May 3 offers a nightmare scenario for the new Spurs boss as he navigates a turbulent period.

A new manager once again failed to immediately change the fortunes for Tottenham this weekend, as Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge of Spurs ended in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland. Captain Cristian Romero's tears on the pitch perfectly encapsulated the North London club's season in a single moment. Following West Ham's 4-0 win over Wolves on Friday evening, it means Tottenham now sit in the relegation zone in 18th with just six games to play in the season. They haven't won a league game this calendar year.

Despite finishing 17th last term, it would come as an almighty shock if Spurs were to be relegated to the Championship, given the resources they have and the money they have spent to assemble their squad. They also progressed to the Champions League last 16 this term. If they were to face the drop, which is looking increasingly likely, how would they compare among the most valuable squads ever relegated from the Premier League? Let's find out.

The most valuable squads relegated from the Premier League

If Tottenham were to go down, they would not only rank as the most valuable squad to ever be relegated, but they would practically face the drop with a squad worth double the amount of any other relegated side. Spurs have a current squad value of €803 million, despite facing the biggest squad downgrade in March's Premier League market value update. This dwarves the current record, which was set by Leicester in the 2022/23 season, in which they went down with a squad worth €444m. In third is Southampton in that same season - the Saints had a squad value of €397m at the time. Fourth goes to Bournemouth back in the 2019/20 season where the Cherries had a squad value of €343m.

A new manager once again failed to immediately change the fortunes for Tottenham this weekend, as Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge of Spurs ended in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland. Captain Cristian Romero's tears on the pitch perfectly encapsulated the North London club's season in a single moment. Following West Ham's 4-0 win over Wolves on Friday evening, it means Tottenham now sit in the relegation zone in 18th with just six games to play in the season. They haven't won a league game this calendar year.

Despite finishing 17th last term, it would come as an almighty shock if Spurs were to be relegated to the Championship, given the resources they have and the money they have spent to assemble their squad. They also progressed to the Champions League last 16 this term. If they were to face the drop, which is looking increasingly likely, how would they compare among the most valuable squads ever relegated from the Premier League? Let's find out.

The most valuable squads relegated from the Premier League

If Tottenham were to go down, they would not only rank as the most valuable squad to ever be relegated, but they would practically face the drop with a squad worth double the amount of any other relegated side. Spurs have a current squad value of €803 million, despite facing the biggest squad downgrade in March's Premier League market value update. This dwarves the current record, which was set by Leicester in the 2022/23 season, in which they went down with a squad worth €444m. In third is Southampton in that same season - the Saints had a squad value of €397m at the time. Fourth goes to Bournemouth back in the 2019/20 season where the Cherries had a squad value of €343m.

©TM/IMAGO

Roberto De Zerbi may have already been acutely aware of the size of the task in front of him after arriving as Tottenham's third head coach this season. But in his first game in charge, a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on Sunday exposed a host of issues for the Italian to resolve, with the knowledge that time is running out to find a solution. Nordi Mukiele's first-half effort, which took a heavy deflection, gave the Black Cats a win that all but guarantees their Premier League safety. The same cannot be said for Spurs, who remain in dire straights.

Club Comparison

Sunderland AFC

Tottenham Hotspur

Premier League

Premier League

€381.95m

Market Value

€802.50m

First Tier

League Level

First Tier

€212.69m

Expenditures 25/26

€265.60m

Régis Le Bris

Managers

Roberto De Zerbi

Full Club Comparison

The north London side are in deep trouble and the most worrying aspect of their relegation fight is that it's difficult to pinpoint where their win is coming from. They haven't won in 14 league games, a run that stretches back to December 30, 2025 when they beat Crystal Palace. Since Matchday 19, they have taken just five points from a possible 42, which puts them bottom of the Premier League form table. It is mystifying how a team with a squad market value of €802.5 million and transfer spend of €265.8 million this season finds themselves in such a desperate position.

Meanwhile, their relegation rivals are starting to find some momentum. West Ham thumped rock-bottom Wolves 4-0 on Friday night, moving themselves out of the drop zone and into 17th place. Nottingham Forest battled back to salvage a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa and that point crucially moves them two clear of Spurs with six games to go. They are picking up points, showing signs of resistance, while Spurs continue to slide down the table. Leeds have been dragged into the battle in recent weeks and face Manchester United on Monday night.

It's fair to say De Zerbi has not yet had sufficient time to work with his squad on the training pitch and therefore no conclusion can be drawn as to how effective his coaching has been. But there was an evident lack of belief within his team when they conceded at the Stadium of Light. Even with experienced players such as Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke and Conor Gallagher, they rarely looked motivated or determined to find an equaliser. Even the penalty decision that went in their favour was overturned following a VAR pitchside review, and correctly so too.

A repeat would surely consign Spurs to the Championship and that is no longer regarded as an unrealistic outcome this season. If he is to keep them up, winning against his former club Brighton is surely a requirement at this stage, rather than just a boost to their survival hopes.

©IMAGO

When it comes to developing young players in European football, few leagues can rival the Belgian Jupiler Pro League's expertise. Whether it be Igor Thiago, Jérémy Doku, Charles De Ketelaere or many more, there's no denying that the league knows a thing or two about turning young talents into future world stars. And at Anderlecht, the small nation may have a new playmaking talent who will go on to be very popular in the summer transfer window.

While “Les Mauve et Blanc” may be having a rather unremarkable league season, as Jérémy Taravel’s side languish in sixth place in the league table, fans have been treated to some outstanding performances from young midfielder Nathan de Cat throughout the league campaign. After making his debut for the first team last season, De Cat quickly nailed down a starting spot this term and hasn’t looked back.

Across all competitions, De Cat has bagged three goals and five assists from midfield in 39 appearances across all competitions. That, consequently, has seen his market value shoot up to €25 million. That is an increase of €22.5m since the start of this season and the highest rise in market value for any player in world football, outside of Europe’s top five leagues. So, how good is De Cat and is he destined for a big move this summer?

"He can play all three positions in midfield,” notes Bart Tamysn, Transfermarkt’s Area Manager for Belgium, when asked about De Cat’s progress this season. “Most of the time he's a box-to-box player, but he can also play as a defensive midfielder and the last few games he even played as an attacking midfielder and scored, gave assists. Basically, he's got the whole package."

However, while De Cat has clearly thrived in the Belgian top-flight, his tender age of just 17 can’t be overlooked. And, as Tamysn points out, that likely means he isn’t quite ready to make an immediate move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs this summer. "If there's just one thing he needs to improve on, then it's his physical ability,” added Tamysn. “Even without Anderlecht playing European football, just weekend games, every four or five games, he needs to be substituted because he's just so fatigued. Against Club Brugge, after just 38 minutes of play, he was already standing there bent over his knees. That's why he's still not the most valuable player in Belgium, because we still see improvement he needs to make."

Despite De Cat’s obvious room for growth, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive regarding his future at Anderlecht. The midfield’s current contract expires in 2027, and with no new deal looking likely as negotiations continue to drag on between the player and the club, it seems more than likely that the young midfielder will likely be sold this summer. Since the start of 2026, no fewer than eight clubs have been linked with a move for De Cat, but the three front-runners seem to be RB Leipzig, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich. According to Tamysn, Bayern may have an advantage due to the fact that Vincent Kompany knows the young midfielder “by heart” and “every little detail about him” due to frequent visits to Anderlecht to talk to the young star. However, a move to a smaller club may make more sense in the immediate term for the Belgium international.

Rumour N. De Cat Central Midfield

RSC Anderlecht ? Leipzig Jupiler Pro League Bundesliga

Rumour N. De Cat Central Midfield

RSC Anderlecht 49 % Bayern Munich Jupiler Pro League Bundesliga

Rumour N. De Cat Central Midfield

RSC Anderlecht ? Tottenham Jupiler Pro League Premier League

"He can go to a top five league, probably a top club from the top five leagues, but he will be loaned out,” suggested the Belgian football expert. “A similar case as we saw with Luka Vušković at Tottenham, who has now been loaned out for the second season in a row. I’d rather see a path like Luka Vušković, with some loans before he's physically ready to compete for the top clubs, where you also have to compete at European levels."

Although De Cat may not be ready for the biggest stage yet, he’ll still demand a large transfer fee to reflect his blossoming market value. And, according to Tamysn, he’ll almost certainly break Anderlecht’s transfer record, which was set in 2020 when Doku was sold to Stade Rennais for €26m. "If we're talking about a transfer fee, then we're thinking in the region of €25-30m,” said Tamysn. “If it's a bidding war, then it will go above €30m. If it's just one club that puts pressure on it, then it will be more around €25m. The top transfer fee for Anderlecht was Doku to Standard, and they’ll probably want to break it with him."

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as their new permanent manager. On Sunday, it was announced that Spurs had parted ways with Igor Tudor with the Croatian lasting just 44 days in charge as interim boss, after replacing Thomas Frank. And Spurs have moved quickly to appoint De Zerbi with the club firmly engulfed in a relegation battle, sitting just one point above the bottom three with just seven Premier League games remaining.

It was initially understood that De Zerbi was unwilling to take the reins in the summer but he’s been persuaded to take charge immediately and he's been handed a five-year contract until 2031. The notoriously fiery Italian boss has been out of work since February after departing Marseille following a devastating Champions League exit and humiliation to PSG in Ligue 1. De Zerbi is Tottenham’s third manager of the year and the fanbase is visibly split on his impending appointment.

Roberto De Zerbi’s managerial record

It’s understood that Spurs chiefs promised De Zerbi significant support in the transfer window and time to transform the club, in order to convince him to take immediate charge. It’s widely reported that there's no exit relegation clause in the 46-year-olds contract and he will be one of the best paid coaches in England, which has raised eyebrows as he’s never spent three years at a single club. De Zerbi has a deserved reputation for being confrontational and he’s fallen out with various hierarchies.

Harry Kane scored his 31st Bundesliga goal of the season in a 4-0 win against Union Berlin last weekend. The Englishman has been a revelation since moving to Bayern Munich, scoring 133 goals and providing 31 assists in just 136 matches for the German Giants since his move from Tottenham in 2023. Records seem to tumble wherever Kane goes, but he now has a very special milestone well within his sights.

As mentioned, Kane now already has 31 Bundesliga goals for the season. It means he now has seven games to go, to not only beat his own goalscoring record season in the German top-flight (36 goals in 2023/24) but the historic record for the entire division. He has someway to go, but if he can keep up his current goalscoring rate of 1.19 goals-per-game, he will be very close to writing his name into the history books. Let's take a look at the best Bundesliga goalscoring seasons on record.

Most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season

Leading the way is legendary striker Robert Lewandowski. The Polish forward scored an astonishing 41 goals in just 29 matches for Bayern Munich in the 2020/21 season. In doing that, he overtook now second-placed on the list: Gerd Müller, who scored 40 goals in 34 matches in the 1971/72 campaign for Bayern. Müller also takes third having scored 38 in the 1969/70 season. Kane's initial season in Germany then takes fourth spot, with the Englishman scoring 36 in the 2023/24 season.

©IMAGO

Nearly 50 years have passed since Tottenham Hotspur last dropped out of the top flight of English football during the 1976-77 season. That year, they finished 22nd with 33 points from 42 games (when a win equalled two points, not three). The north London outfit have never been relegated in the Premier League era, but the threat of that happening is a very realistic possibility. And their humiliating 3-0 home defeat against Nottingham Forest, a match many felt they couldn't lose if they were to stay up, only underlined their issues.

Club Comparison

Tottenham Hotspur

Nottingham Forest

Premier League

Premier League

€802.50m

Market Value

€568.00m

First Tier

League Level

First Tier

€265.60m

Expenditures 25/26

€241.83m

Igor Tudor

Managers

Vítor Pereira

Full Club Comparison

When Igor Jesus headed home from inside the six-yard box on the stroke of half-time, the silence was deafening. Players were not fulfilling their tasks defensively and they paid the price. Then, in the second half, Neco Williams was completely unmarked at the far post when he was found via a deep cross, and only a strong hand from Guglielmo Vicario denied the full-back from making it 2-0. The anxiety in the ground was palpable at this point, with the sinking feeling that Spurs genuinely could go down if they didn't score the next goal.

The ghost of Gibbs-White

The crowd did their best to lift the team, but the absence of identity in the team was evident. Igor Tudor's system left huge gaps in the midfield to be exposed and Morgan Gibbs-White - afforded the freedom of London - passed into the back of the net to double the lead. Given how both teams had started the second half, the goal was sadly inevitable - and worse yet, it came from the player who nearly joined them in the summer.

In July, Spurs had reportedly triggered his €69 million release clause, only for Gibbs-White to be convinced to stay at the City Ground by owner Evangelos Marinakis. How crucial will that decision prove to be in May when the season is over? Taiwo Awoniyi compounded the misery by adding a third late on, guaranteeing Spurs still don't have a Premier League win in 2026.

How close have Spurs been to Premier League relegation before?

The closest they have come to plummeting to the second tier was back in the 1997/98 season. After a 2-0 defeat against Chelsea on April 11, Spurs were languishing in 17th, only one point clear of Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers in the relegation zone. Unlike now, they had a star player to come back from injury and turn their fortunes around. When Darren Anderton returned from injury, the winger helped Spurs embark on a five-game unbeaten run and they survived the drop.

But this team doesn't have a Jurgen Klinsmann, Harry Kane or Heung-min Son to lift them out of adversity. They don't have even have an Ossie Ardilles-type character to lead them. Head coach Tudor hasn't won any of his five Premier League games in charge and surely won't get a chance to manage a sixth, with fans calling for him to be sacked.

Transfer and discipline issues

Speculation continues to link Micky van de Ven with a move to Barcelona in the summer, while Cristian Romero's outbursts on social media against the board and subsequent four-match suspension for his second red card of the season have been unhelpful distractions. Expensive summer signings such as Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus haven't delivered often enough, with the latter ruled out through injury. Conor Gallagher hasn't enjoyed the impact many expected when he arrived from Atletico Madrid in January.

Few could've blamed them for having one eye on events in Birmingham on Sunday, with relegation rivals West Ham travelling to Aston Villa and playing at exactly the same time. John McGinn's 15th-minute strike snatched away any hope of West Ham taking points away from Villa Park before Ollie Watkins made it 2-0 in the second half. But Tottenham didn't do their bit, losing by the same scoreline. How can the fans find any optimism in these times when they haven't been in such a position in the 21st Century?

Will Spurs actually go down?

With a squad value of €802.5 million and a €265 million gross spend in the summer, it seemed almost impossible at the start of the season under Thomas Frank that Spurs would find themselves in this position again, having finished 17th under Ange Postecoglou in 2024/25. At least then, the Europa League triumph gave them something to celebrate after ending their 17-year wait for a trophy.

But with seven games to go and Forest climbing above them in the Premier League table, it's no longer an outside possibility. They have taken five points from their last 36 available in the league. Make no mistake, that is relegation form. They still have to play Sunderland, Brighton, Wolves, Aston Villa, Leeds, Chelsea and finally Everton before knowing their fate. In the same fixtures last season, they faced five of those teams and only beat one of them - a 4-0 win over Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - losing the other four fixtures.

Seven games to save themselves, but it would take a remarkable turnaround and perhaps a third manager this season to change their fortunes. It's down to these players to ensure they don't have the ignominy of being part of arguably the most incredible relegation story since the league was founded 34 years ago.