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Roberto De Zerbi has revealed that Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke will be available for selection as Tottenham return to Premier League action away to Manchester United on Saturday evening.
Van Hecke and Van de Ven suffered foot and hand injuries, respectively, while on international duty with the Netherlands.
The defensive duo are both expected to be fit for Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford, though De Zerbi says there is an “emotional aspect” to consider with Van Hecke after his wife gave birth to twins this week.
Pedro Porro is still out with a hamstring injury sustained during Spurs’ 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa. The 27-year-old travelled to Spain to see a specialist over the international break, but is still not ready to return to action.
Dejan Kulusevski is closing in on a return to action after more than 500 days out injured with a complicated patella injury that has required two separate surgeries.
The Swedish playmaker returned to training after a minor setback and played in an internal 11-a-side friendly at the club’s training ground over the international break.
Spurs will continue to urge caution, but De Zerbi confirmed Kulusevski would travel with the squad in a support capacity in a similar role to the one James Maddison played before he made his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of last season.
On Maddison, De Zerbi admitted that while the England midfielder would be available, he had suffered a minor setback and had not been able to train free from pain at the start of this week.
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Manchester United could be without as many as nine players for Saturday’s meeting with Tottenham, though Carlos Baleba is finally in line to make his debut.
The Red Devils came into the international break with a variety of injury headaches, but unlike some of their rivals, three weeks of rest have done little to alleviate them.
Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo both withdrew from England duty this month but, per Michael Carrick, have only trained “a little bit” in the lead-up to this match. The same is true of Amad Diallo, who is yet to feature for United this season.
Elsewhere, Matthijs de Ligt is thought to be closing in on a return from his long-standing back injury, but Carrick gave no assurances as to his availability this weekend.
Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui were both victims of the international break, with the former suffering a hamstring injury and the latter, a knock. Benjamin Sesko is facing weeks on the sidelines with a shin injury.
There is good news, though, for the summer signing Baleba, who arrived from Brighton carrying an injury but has trained regularly during the international break. He will start in the base of midfield against Tottenham, partnering Youri Tielemans.
All the injuries across the front four mean there are few decisions for Carrick to make, though he may push Rashford to start despite suggesting his fitness is not at 100 per cent. Bruno Fernandes will take his customary role in the No10, with Matheus Cunha replacing the injured Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo on the flank.
Roberto De Zerbi has said that Dejan Kulusevski will travel with the first-team squad for Tottenham’s trip to Manchester United as the playmaker closes in on a return to fitness after nearly a year and a half on the sidelines.
Kulusevski has spent more than 500 days out injured with a complicated patella problem that has seen him undergo surgery twice to try to correct the issue.
It has been an extremely difficult period for the former Juventus man, but there now appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for the forwardf after he featured in an internal 11-a-side match over the international break.
Spurs will continue to be cautious with Kulusevski, as they have been with a handful of players who have struggled with long-term injury issues, but De Zerbi could soon select the 26-year-old in a Premier League matchday squad for the first time since May 2025.
Kulusevski’s creativity has been a huge miss for a Spurs side that have scored just two league goals this season, but De Zerbi has said the Swede was on the right track in returning to action.
“Tomorrow he comes with us for football, he's an example for everyone because he's a player, but an example of how he reacts to the injury, the character."
Spurs have not wanted to rush Kulusevski, but they were given a reminder of just how careful and diligent they must remain with his recovery when he was pulled out of first-team training after picking up a minor setback.
Anticipation may be building ahead of what is sure to be an emotional return for Kulusevski, but Spurs and De Zerbi are not getting ahead of themselves, and while he will make the trip to Old Trafford, it is highly unlikely that he will feature in the matchday squad.
Spurs playmaker is back in training after 17-month injury hell
Sam Tabuteau, Sports Reporter
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Chris Waddle has warned Tottenham supporters that they must be patient as Dejan Kulusevski closes in on a return from injury.
Kulusevski has been sidelined since May 2025 with a complicated kneecap injury that has seen him undergo two separate surgeries.
His rehabilitation has been managed carefully, with Spurs’ revamped medical department, led by performance director Dan Lewindon, adopting a more cautious approach after an injury crisis derailed their campaign last season as they narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship.
Kulusevski was pulled out of first-team training last month after suffering a setback in his recovery but has since returned.
A comeback now feels closer than ever, but Waddle has urged supporters not to get ahead of themselves, with the Swedish playmaker still some way short of match fitness.
"For Dejan Kulusevski, it’s going to be a sub appearance, maybe come on for 20 minutes, or start and play for an hour if he can manage an hour. Mentally as well, you know, it has been a long, long time,” Waddle told Standard Sport, via talkSPORT BET sports betting.
"Sometimes it's mind over matter, and it'll take a while to hit the ground running. Listen, it's great getting players back, but because he's been out for such a long time, don't expect anything too early.
Struggles: Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison have been heavily impacted by injuries
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"Let him grow back into it and give him game time when needed, even playing for the Under-21s in the reserve league, just to get minutes under his belt, get a bit of rhythm, and, as I said earlier, confidence.
“That's the key. If you can get his confidence back, then he'll be a welcome addition to Spurs."
Spurs have looked desperately short of creativity this season, with Kulusevski on the sidelines and James Maddison also struggling for fitness.
Maddison had hoped to use pre-season to build his way back to full fitness after returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of last term.
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However, Spurs’ pre-season preparations were severely disrupted, leading head coach Roberto De Zerbi to admit ahead of his side’s Premier League opener against Brentford that they were physically under-prepared.
To add insult to injury, Maddison subsequently suffered a shoulder fracture after coming off the bench against Brentford and has only recently returned.
"James Maddison knows the club, knows the fans, knows how the club works, and he knows De Zerbi plays on the front foot,” Waddle continued.
“I think Maddison's the type of player they need. He's a number 10, there's no doubt about that.
"Whether James Maddison is the player to do that consistently, I’m not sure. Unfortunately, the lad's been dogged with injuries for the last 18 months.
“So you feel for him on that, because he's that sort of player Tottenham need at the minute to create things and get on the ball and feed the wingers, giving that bit of difference, bit of quality which they've been lacking on the creative side.”
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Roberto De Zerbi sweating over fitness of key players before Old Trafford trip
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Tottenham hope to have avoided a defensive injury crisis as they return to Premier League action against Manchester United this weekend.
Spurs head to Old Trafford for the late Saturday kick-off desperately seeking their first win of the season to lift them off the foot of the table.
It has been a horrendous start to the campaign for Tottenham, who have only two points to their name so far and took five matches to score even their first goals in the top-flight this term - in a losing effort at home to Aston Villa before the extended international break.
That is despite Roberto De Zerbi’s squad being boosted for his first full season in charge by an influx of new signings worth over £300million during the summer transfer window.
Spurs fans will hope that a trip to face a below-par Man Utd side who have also struggled out of the gate this season under Michael Carrick yields a much-needed three points. With that in mind, here is all the latest Tottenham injury news and return dates after a new double scare for De Zerbi.
Micky van de Ven
Tottenham captain Micky van de Ven was forced off late on during the Netherlands’ 2-1 Nations League win over Serbia in Eindhoven on Sunday.
The influential centre-back accidentally had his hand stepped on by Serbia striker Luka Jovic and could not continue in the match, leaving the Dutch with 10 men as they had already used all of their substitutions.
Fortunately for Spurs, Netherlands head coach Xavi delivered a positive update on Van de Ven - who had two of the fingers on his left hand strapped up - after the Nations League game, which his side won 2-1 despite their late numerical disadvantage.
“He’s ok, he felt dizzy because he suffered with his finger. It’s not a big injury,” Xavi said.
Potential return date: Saturday October 10, vs Manchester United (A)
Painful blow: Micky van de Ven felt dizzy after a finger injury suffered with the Netherlands
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Jan Paul van Hecke
Van de Ven’s club and international team-mate Van Hecke had already withdrawn from the Netherlands squad before that home clash with Serbia due to an injury sustained in the first meeting between the two nations a week before.
He had his foot stepped on during an initial 2-1 win for the Oranje in Belgrade, finishing the full 90 minutes but exiting a training session early later in the week.
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Van Hecke’s involvement ended after only seven minutes and he withdrew from the Netherlands squad for their final two games, with Xavi’s worrying update saying the defender was in a “lot of pain” and “couldn’t touch the ball”.
He returned to Tottenham for assessment and treatment, and will be a major doubt for the trip to Manchester United as Marcos Senesi or Tosin Adarabioyo potentially step in alongside Van de Ven, if the skipper is fit.
Potential return date: Unknown, pending further assessment
Pedro Porro
First-choice right-back Pedro Porro withdrew from the Spain squad at the start of the international window with a hamstring injury that forced him off only after 19 minutes in the 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa.
The new setback was expected to rule him out for around four weeks, a timeframe which, if accurate, would put him on track to return either against Coventry on October 19 or in the London derby showdown with rivals Chelsea five days later at Stamford Bridge.
It has been a frustrating start to the season for Porro, who began the campaign on the bench following his holiday in the aftermath of Spain’s World Cup win and also missed two other matches with another unspecified muscle problem.
Potential return date: Saturday October 24, vs Chelsea (A)
Setback: Pedro Porro sustained a hamstring injury early on in the loss to Aston Villa
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Dejan Kulusevski
Dejan Kulusevski has not played a competitive match since May 2025 as the result of a difficult kneecap injury that has seen him twice undergo surgery.
After experiencing another setback following his recent return to first-team training, the Swedish international is now back at Hotspur Way and has been stepping up his efforts once again during the international break.
Significantly, Standard Sport understands that Kulusevski last week featured in his first game for 17 months and more than 500 days - playing in training on a team comprised of senior players against opponents made up of Tottenham’s Under-21s and U18s stars not on international duty.
It is unclear for long he played or indeed how much he impacted the game, but it is nevertheless a big step on Kulusevski’s long and difficult road to a return to competitive football, which could happen in the weeks ahead.
However, Tottenham will understandably continue to be extra cautious in terms of managing his comeback.
Potential return date: October or November
Mykhailo Mudryk
A surprise Deadline Day loan signing from Chelsea, Mykhailo Mudryk settled his anti-doping disciplinary proceedings with the Football Association (FA) over the summer and made his first competitive appearance since November 2024 off the bench as Spurs drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest last month.
However, that was followed by 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.
Mudryk should be back in late October, but is ineligible for selection against parent club Chelsea. That could mean his return comes a week later, against Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Potential return date: Saturday, October 31 vs Crystal Palace (H)
Frustration: Mykhailo Mudryk appeared just once for Tottenham before injury struck
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Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons has been out of action since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a crucial win at Wolves in April.
He was ruled out for the remainder of last season and the World Cup, while he has yet to feature this term.
Simons has recently been working on his rehabilitation in the United States and is likely to return to contention in early 2027, having been ruled out for approximately nine to 10 months.
Potential return date: Early 2027
Wilson Odobert
Wilson Odobert ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the home defeat by Newcastle in February.
A ninth-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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The Sweden international has not played for club or country since May 2025 due to a complicated kneecap injury that required two separate surgeries over the course of 10 months.
Kulusevski’s long road back to fitness has been fraught with difficulty, with an initial return to first-team training recently disrupted as he was temporarily pulled out following a setback.
However, he has since returned again and ramped up his comeback further during the extended three-week international break.
Last week, the second of the international window, Standard Sport understands that Kulusevski, as first reported by the Daily Mail, took part in an 11-a-side training match at Hotspur Way.
The former Juventus winger was on a team made up of first-team players, who took on an opposing side comprised of some of Tottenham’s Under-21s and U18s talents.
It is not clear how many minutes Kulusevski was able to play or the impact he had on the game, but a return to match action after an absence lasting 17 months and more than 500 days is a significant milestone as he builds fitness in preparation for a long-awaited competitive comeback and first appearance under current head coach Roberto De Zerbi.
It remains to be seen when exactly he will be back in contention for Tottenham in the Premier League, with his progress still being managed carefully by Spurs’ revamped medical department, led by performance director Dan Lewindon.
Tottenham are adopting a more cautious approach after an injury crisis derailed each of their previous two campaigns, contributing to back-to-back 17th-place finishes in the Premier League and last season’s relegation battle that was only decided on the final day.
Chelsea loanee Mykhailo Mudryk is still sidelined with an ankle issue, while Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are both working their way back from anterior cruciate ligament ruptures suffered last season.
Despite a lavish summer transfer spend in excess of £300million, Tottenham sit bottom of the table ahead of the Premier League’s return this weekend with no wins and only two points and two goals to their name after five matches.
They resume action on Saturday evening at Old Trafford against a Manchester United team who have won only one of their first five games amid pressure on manager Michael Carrick.
Spurs are rock bottom of the Premier League table and have taken just two points from their opening five games ahead of this weekend’s trip to Manchester United.
Despite spending in excess of £300million over the summer, Roberto De Zerbi’s side have yet to click into gear and are in desperate need of three points to quell the rumblings of discontent around the club.
De Zerbi, who guided Tottenham to Premier League survival last season, still has plenty of internal backing, but he knows results will need to turn quickly if Spurs are to climb up the table.
After a heavy summer of spending, supporters were confident Tottenham could challenge for European qualification this season, but that ambition now feels like a distant dream.
Spurs legend Waddle, though, has faith in De Zerbi and says the Italian can still secure a Europa League place for the club despite their disastrous start to the season.
“They've got too much quality not to (turn things around), so I wouldn't be surprised if Tottenham qualify for a Europa League place,” Waddle told Standard Sport, via talkSPORT BET sports betting.
"I don't see any reason why they can't put a string of results together and get up the league. Everybody's beating each other, apart from basically the top two or three.
“Everybody else is very beatable, let's be honest. There's no reason Tottenham can't go on a run and finish in the top half comfortably."
Spurs return from the international break with a trip to Old Trafford before they meet Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, either side of hosting Coventry and Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
De Zerbi faces an important run of games as he looks to inject some much-needed momentum into Spurs’ season, and Waddle warned that Coventry and Crystal Palace are must-win fixtures if they are to keep alive their European ambitions.
"Realistically, if you looked at the fixtures at the start of the season and you saw Palace and Coventry at home, you would have said that's a decent run,” he said.
“Every game's hard, we know that, but you would think these are the type of games you win to keep you up at the top fighting for the title or fighting for European places.
"I'm not having a go at Palace or Coventry, but you couldn't ask for two better home games. If Tottenham have got anything about them, these are the two games which really should kick-start their season."
The 55-year-old was an established member of the Swiss national team and spent four years at White Hart Lane, representing Spurs between 1997 and 2001. He retired in 2023 and transitioned into private equity.
And he has not become the first man to confirm his intent to run against the beleaguered Infantino for the FIFA presidency.
The incumbent has already confirmed his intent to run for a fourth term in the role despite coming in for intense criticism in recent months after it was revealed he had attempted to sell shares in the World Cup to private investors.
The plans were abandoned after severe public backlash, but a number of FIFA’s member federations, including UEFA, have formally expressed their lack of confidence in Infantino as a result.
And Vega has now confirmed he intends to stand against him, saying in a statement: “I am standing because my life has prepared me to serve the game.
“Football is in the emergency room, on life support. We cannot wait any longer. FIFA needs a new direction and fundamental reform.”
Football association presidents and general secretaries from across Europe are gathering in Berlin ahead of a UEFA Top Executive Programme (TEP) meeting on Thursday, where the topic of FIFA and its governance will be on the morning agenda.
A number of European associations – including those of England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales – have withdrawn their support for Infantino following the emergence of the plan to seek private investment in a commercial vehicle to run the World Cup.
There is also deep discontent around the handling of the Folarin Balogun case at the World Cup, while it has been reported this week that the FIFA administration ignored the advice of its own lawyers and allowed DR Congo to play in an intercontinental play-off despite goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi being ineligible. FIFA has so far not responded to a request to comment regarding that matter.
The Press Association understands UEFA remains committed to identifying a credible alternative candidate to run against Infantino, but that it is unlikely any individual will be settled on at Thursday’s meeting. The deadline for candidates to be submitted is November 18.