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Spurs face must-win Coventry home clash after Spain training camp

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Tottenham have flown out to Spain to work on fitness ahead of their next Premier League contest against Coventry.

Spurs have taken advantage of a nine-day break between games to jet out for a training camp in Marbella, where head coach Roberto De Zerbi will hope to get his side into optimal shape at last.

A disjointed summer left Tottenham short on fitness across the squad and it is a major issue they must address with no wins from their opening six top-flight games and only three points and three goals despite plenty of excitement and optimism for De Zerbi’s first full season in charge after an ambitious transfer spend in excess of £300million.

A spirited 1-1 draw at fellow strugglers Manchester United last weekend lifted them off the foot of the table, though a much-improved performance looked to have meant nothing due to sheer profligacy and another chronic lack of cutting edge, until Dominic Solanke’s deft equalising header in stoppage time that came after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for headbutting Luke Shaw.

Spurs must build on that morale boost at home to Coventry on Monday night, though Frank Lampard’s newly-promoted side are certainly no pushovers after back-to-back wins that included a shock 4-1 rout of Newcastle last time out.

Here is all the latest Tottenham injury news and return dates, including the likes of Pedro Porro, Dejan Kulusevski and Xavi Simons.

Pedro Porro

First-choice Spurs right-back Porro pulled out of the Spain squad at the start of the recent extended three-week international break with a hamstring injury he picked up early on in the 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa.

He was initially expected to be sidelined for four weeks, which could see him return against Coventry or Chelsea.

Porro did not feature against United, but he is not expected to be out for too much longer.

“Pedro - I think - is not [out] for many games,” De Zerbi said ahead of the trip to Old Trafford.

Potential return date: Saturday October 24, vs Chelsea (A)

Major blow: Pedro Porro picked up a hamstring injury as Tottenham lost to Aston Villa

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Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski has not played a single competitive match for club or country since May last year amid a continued struggle with a complex kneecap injury.

After experiencing another setback following his recent return to first-team training, the Swedish international is closing in on a comeback at last.

Standard Sport reported that Kulusevski recently featured in his first game for 17 months and more than 500 days - playing on a team of senior players against opponents made up of Tottenham’s Under-21s and U18s in an internal friendly held behind-closed-doors at Hotspur Way.

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De Zerbi revealed that Kulusevski would travel to Old Trafford with his team-mates, but he was not named in the matchday squad.

He was spotted continuing to train in Enfield on Tuesday before the trip to Spain.

Potential return date: November

Mykhailo Mudryk

Ukrainian winger Mudryk was a surprise loan signing from rivals Chelsea on Deadline Day during the summer transfer window.

He made his debut for his new club off the bench as Spurs drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest on September 5.

However, he then suffered an ankle injury in training - one lamented as “stupid” by De Zerbi - that was expected to keep him out for around six to eight weeks.

Mudryk should be back later this month, but he won’t be able to face his parent club on October 24, and as such, he could return against Crystal Palace on Halloween.

Potential return date: Saturday October 31, vs Crystal Palace (H)

Frustration: Mykhailo Mudryk was injured soon after making his Tottenham debut

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Xavi Simons

Simons has been out of action since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during the win at Wolves in April.

He was ruled out for the remainder of last term and the World Cup following surgery, and he has not played yet this campaign.

Simons has been out in the United States rehabilitating, and he is likely to be back after the turn of the year.

Potential return date: Early 2027

Wilson Odobert

Odobert ruptured his left ACL during the home defeat by Newcastle in February.

A nine-month recovery time would have him on course to play again in late November, but there have been recent reports that suggest he could be pushing to feature before then.

Potential return date: November 2026

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Richarlison returned to action for Tottenham with a demotion to the Under-21s on Tuesday night.

The Brazilian striker is in something of a self-imposed exile after a bizarre summer transfer saga in which he pushed to leave the club but failed to agree a move.

Now stranded in north London until at least January, Richarlison was left out of Roberto De Zerbi’s Premier League squad.

But he has now returned to action for the first time since the opening day of the Premier League campaign, starting for Tottenham’s U21s as they visit Cheltenham Town in the EFL Trophy.

The experienced Brazilian was on target in the 2-2 draw, levelling the affair at 1-1 shortly after half-time before Miracle Adewole put Spurs ahead.

Tottenham’s youngsters celebrated Richarlison’s goal with his signature pigeon celebration

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Cheltenham’s George Miller then equalised in the 96th minute to force a penalty shootout and Richarlison scored again from the spot, but his effort was not enough to seal victory and Spurs lost 6-7.

While the EFL Trophy is designed to pit Premier League academy sides against EFL opposition, its rules permit U21 squads to employ at most two players who are either over 21 years old or have made 40 first-team appearances.

The 29-year-old Richarlison was the only such player in the Tottenham squad for Tuesday evening’s trip to Gloucestershire. He is also eligible to appear in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, but has not done so since the transfer window closed. He was named to the bench for Spurs’ second-round defeat of Charlton, though that came before Deadline Day.

Richarlison made no mistake from the spot as Tottenham U21s lost to Cheltenham on penalties

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Richarlison’s odd summer saga began when it was reported he had been left out of De Zerbi’s plans for the season, leaving him to find himself a new home before Deadline Day.

He subsequently saw moves to both Trabzonspor and Vasco Da Gama fall through at the last, though, after failing to agree terms. He had also been linked with a return to Everton, whom he left to join Tottenham in 2022.

Speaking in pre-season, De Zerbi said of Richarlison’s future: "I don't know because I like him as a player and as a guy.

“He's unbelievable in terms of attitude and behaviour. But, in the end, we have to respect what he wants to do.

“Sometimes he says he wants to stay, sometimes he wants to leave. We have to speak anyway. There is not any problem. He's a lovely guy."

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Later that same month, he claimed Richarlison had asked to leave the club on several occasions, saying: “I love these players, they are great guys, I have very good relationships, but if they want to leave, they have to bring the solution, the economic solution, to the club, and they can go, and we find other players.”

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Sam Tabuteau, Sports Reporter

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Dominic Solanke was in a reflective mood as he faced the media at Old Trafford after 10-man Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

Despite stealing in ahead of Lisandro Martinez to score a stoppage-time equaliser which lifted Spurs off the foot of the Premier League table, Solanke knew he could and probably should have had a hat-trick.

"I probably should've had three goals today. I wanted to make sure I kept getting as many as I can. I put one away, so I'm thankful for that,” Solanke said after ending his seven-month wait for a league goal.

On an evening when Tottenham were once again wasteful, Solanke was guilty of missing several presentable opportunities. But he did not let that deter him as he wrestled off the attention of Martinez to head home Sandro Tonali’s in-swinging delivery with the deftest of touches.

Solanke, handed the captain’s armband against United as a show of faith from manager Roberto De Zerbi, is a sensitive character. He has shouldered the responsibility for Spurs’ winless start to the season and has been determined to get back to his best after an injury-hit year.

Solanke’s confidence in his body and his ability to be Tottenham’s frontman have taken a hit over the last 12 months, but De Zerbi will hope his goal against United can act as a catalyst.

Goal-shy Spurs need a fully-firing Solanke if they are to propel themselves up the table. But on the evidence of what he has produced since his £65million move from Bournemouth in 2024, there is no guarantee he can be the figure of consistency they have clamoured for since Harry Kane’s departure to Bayern Munich.

Late leveller: Dominic Solanke scored Tottenham’s stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester United

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No one is asking Solanke to fill the void left by Kane, but having failed to hit double figures for league goals since arriving in north London, there is plenty of room for improvement.

Solanke has looked off the pace as he has struggled to regain fitness after missing the back end of last season with a hamstring injury.

Now, though, after a three-week international break and an extended wait before Tottenham play at home to Coventry next Monday, Solanke needs to start proving his fitness issues are behind him.

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The best strikers are relentless in their repetition. They score game after game and act as a figurehead from which the rest of the squad can draw inspiration. Solanke has yet to be that player for Spurs.

Now into his third season at the club, the Englishman has still only ever scored once in back-to-back league games. That needs to change if Tottenham are serious about continuing with him as their leading man.

Increasingly, it looks to have been an oversight on Spurs’ part not to invest in an out-and-out striker in a summer when they parted with more than £300m on new players.

That said, Solanke must view this as an opportunity. He still has De Zerbi’s faith for now, but he must begin to repay it, or risk being left behind by Spurs’ new-found aggression in the transfer market.

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Tottenham have flown to Marbella for a few days of warm-weather training before they return to Premier League action at home to Coventry.

Following their dramatic 1-1 draw with Manchester United, Spurs now have an extended break before their next game, and Roberto De Zerbi has taken the opportunity to organise a trip aimed at building the squad’s physical conditioning and morale as they continue to search for their first top-flight win of the season.

Premier League teams often head for hotter climates around the turn of the year as winter reaches its peak in England, but De Zerbi has chosen to escape abroad earlier in an attempt to re-energise his squad after a difficult start to the campaign.

Dominic Solanke’s stoppage-time goal earned 10-man Tottenham a deserved and much-needed point against United at Old Trafford.

However, a wasteful performance was so nearly punished by Bryan Mbeumo’s 73rd-minute opener, and there remains plenty for De Zerbi to work on, even though Spurs have now at least climbed off the bottom of the Premier League table.

After an extended international break, Tottenham flew out of the traps against United, pressing them high and creating several golden chances which they failed to convert.

Their intensity suffocated United early on, but they struggled to keep going for the full 90 minutes, allowing their hosts a route into the game as Mbeumo finished smartly from a rare foray forward.

Fighting back: Tottenham remain winless but will have taken heart from their last-gasp draw at Manchester United

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De Zerbi has consistently bemoaned his side’s poor physical conditioning this season, blaming a disrupted pre-season schedule, with players returning late from the World Cup and others seeing their minutes managed as part of the club’s more cautious approach to injury rehabilitation.

Nearly three months into the new season, though, and with a rare window of opportunity to get on the training pitch this week, De Zerbi can no longer use his side’s lack of fitness as an excuse.

De Zerbi understandably has a lot on his plate, but the priority over the next week has to be ensuring his squad are physically robust enough to compete at a high intensity for 90 minutes.

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Spurs’ game centres on a high press - they rank second in the Premier League for high turnovers and allow the second fewest passes per defensive action - but they have struggled to maintain their level.

Tottenham often start games well, but if De Zerbi is to turn things around, then he needs his side to sustain pressure for longer while fixing their lack of cutting edge in the final third.

That is where this week’s trip to southern Spain should help, with De Zerbi afforded time to work with his players before they return to England for a must-win encounter with Frank Lampard’s newly-promoted Coventry team.

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Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal get Haaland boost, Mora bid; Man Utd want Simeone; Chelsea, Liverpool latest

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The countdown to the January window is on as Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham all go in search of more high-profile signings. Arsenal may have been handed a sizeable new boost over Erling Haaland, while they are also reported to have made a move for Mexico wonderkid Gilberto Mora. The Gunners remain in pursuit of Julian Alvarez and continue to be linked with the likes of Antonio Nusa and Christian Kofane.

Manchester United are among the clubs rumoured to be battling for Giuliano Simeone, while JJ Gabriel has held more talks with Bayern Munich. Chelsea hope to win the race for Alex Scott and may have reignited their interest in Jules Kounde at Barcelona, but Lamine Camara could yet end up at Liverpool, who have their eye on William Gomes and Marc Bernal as they also keep a close watch on Kylian Mbappe’s situation at Real Madrid.

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Tottenham are said to be pondering a huge January swoop for Endrick, as they also target Vangelis Pavlidis and Simeone, though appear to face stiff competition from Aston Villa. Follow the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip live below!

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“I’m 100% happy with my decision to come here. The title confirmed that I’m in the right place.”

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"Who else could succeed Virgil Van Dijk if not Van De Ven? I saw his old mate Ibrahima Konate playing well for Real Madrid now. He was a good player but now he’s gone so we will have to see what Liverpool do now."

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Why Liverpool's move for Yankuba Minteh collapsed

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Spurs praying for injury returnees before too long

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Tottenham moved off the bottom of the Premier League table with a late 1-1 draw at Manchester United.

Spurs had stand-in captain Dominic Solanke to thank as the No19 notched a last-minute equaliser at Old Trafford.

He donned the armband with Micky van de Ven benched after starting all four games for the Netherlands over the international break, and also because he injured his finger in the last of those matches.

Jan Paul van Hecke also came through an injury worry over the window to start in Manchester, while James Maddison appeared off the bench despite a hamstring issue.

There were a notable number of absentees, however, and Roberto De Zerbi will be hoping to see some of them back shortly.

Here is all the latest on Tottenham’s injury list...

Pedro Porro

First-choice right-back Porro pulled out of the Spain squad at the start of the international break with a hamstring injury he picked up in the 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa.

He was originailly set to be sidelined for four weeks, which could see him return against Coventry or Chelsea later this month.

He did not feature against United, but he is not expected to be out for too much longer.

“Pedro - I think - is not [out] for many games,” De Zerbi said ahead of the trip to Old Trafford.

Potential return date: Saturday October 24, vs Chelsea (A)

Major blow: Pedro Porro

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Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski has not played since May last year in a continued struggle with a complex knee issue.

After experiencing another setback following his recent return to first-team training, the Swedish international is closing in on a return at last.

Standard Sport reported that Kulusevski last week featured in his first game for 17 months and more than 500 days - playing in a team of senior players against opponents made up of Tottenham’s Under-21s and U18s stars not on international duty.

De Zerbi revealed that he would travel to Old Trafford with his team-mates this weekend, but he was not named in the squad.

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Potential return date: November

Mykhailo Mudryk

Ukrainian winger Mudryk arrived to raised eyebrows from Spurs fans after his loan move from Chelsea and his long spell out serving a doping ban.

He made his debut for his new club off the bench as Spurs drew with Nottingham Forest.

However, he then suffered an ankle injury picked up in training - one lamented as “stupid” by De Zerbi - that was expected to keep him out for around six to eight weeks.

He should be back later this month, but he won’t be able to face his parent club, and as such, he could return against Crystal Palace on Halloween.

Potential return date: Saturday, October 31 vs Crystal Palace (H)

Frustration: Mykhailo Mudryk

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Xavi Simons

Simons has been out of action since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament during a the win at Wolves in April last season.

He was ruled out for the remainder of last term and the World Cup, and he has not played this campaign either.

He has been out in the United States rehabilitating, and he is likely to be back after the turn of the year.

Potential return date: Early 2027

Wilson Odobert

Odobert ruptured tore his left ACL during the home defeat by Newcastle in February.

A nine-month recovery time would have him on course to play again in late November, but there have been recent reports that suggest he could be pushing to feature before then.

Potential return date: November 2026

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Dejan Kulusevski’s near year-and-a-half injury hell looks to be reaching its conclusion after Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the Swede will travel to Old Trafford as Tottenham return to action this weekend.

Kulusevski has been on the sidelines for more than 500 days with a complicated patella injury that has required two separate surgeries and a remarkable amount of resilience.

It is unclear whether the playmaker is ready to get back on the pitch, but he will be part of the travelling squad as Spurs chase their first league win of the season.

De Zerbi appears to be keen to utilise the “inspirational” forward in a support role similar to the one James Maddison took up towards the end of last term.

Spurs are in need of inspiration, winless and rock bottom of the Premier League table after five games, and De Zerbi wants to hold Kulusevski up as an example to the rest of his players.

Long time out: Dejan Kulusevski

AFP/Getty

“Yes, he’s an inspiration,” De Zerbi said on Friday.

“He reacted very well, with character, with courage, with passion.

“We have to take inspiration from Deki. I said the same in the meeting to the players.”

Kulusevski played in an internal 11-a-side friendly at the club’s training ground over the international break and has returned to training after a minor setback.

Spurs are continuing to be cautious, but the end now at least appears to be in sight. The reception he will receive when he finally gets back on the pitch will temporarily lift the gloom around the club, even if a change in results remains the pressing priority.

“I think he is an example for everyone,” De Zerbi continued.

“Forget the player, but the example of how he reacted to the injury, the reaction to being unlucky, the character he showed this time, was an example, a reference for everyone.”

While De Zerbi may want to promote Kulusevski as a role model, his team-mate and competition for minutes, Maddison, is proof that a return to full fitness after a lengthy period on the sidelines is not linear.

Setbacks have frustrated the England international’s rehabilitation from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and nearly six months after first taking to the pitch again, he has yet to put a sustained run of games together.

Stuttering return: James Maddison

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While fit and available for selection against United, Maddison was unable to enjoy a pain-free international break, and De Zerbi says that until he can train consistently for several weeks, he remains reluctant to throw the 29-year-old headfirst into top-flight action.

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“Tomorrow he can play, but the Premier League is tough,” the Italian admitted.

“Physically, it is a very strong competition, and you have to be in the right physical condition to compete, to run, to fight.

“He is a No10, a different player, but I think he is working well, and this is the way.

“The way is to complete three, four, five weeks in a row without problems, without feeling pain, without feeling problems. He is a normal player, he has nothing special, bad.”

Maddison and Kulusevski’s struggles perfectly summarise the predicament Spurs find themselves in.

Lacking creativity and unable to get a handle on an ever-increasing injury list, the north Londoners will hope that with Maddison and Kulusevski back in the fold, an end to their issues on and off the pitch will follow.

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