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Dejan Kulusevski has arrived for Tottenham Hotspur’s pre-season, with the Swedish midfielder missing the final month of the 2024/25 campaign through injury.

Kulusevski was sidelined with an injury just before the Europa League final, which meant that the Swede could play no part in the showpiece event in Bilbao.

The former Juventus man is now in a race against time to be fit for the start of the new season, but Tottenham have not shared any official update on his rehabilitation.

Last week, Kulusevski allegedly told the Swedish media that he is not allowed to give an update on his injury, with Spurs wanting to keep the details under wraps.

That report regarding Tottenham’s secrecy would have caused some alarm bells among the Spurs faithful, who may have feared that the 25-year-old’s injury was worse than initially thought.

Kulusevski recently revealed that he is making good progress but hinted that he might not be fit for the start of the 2025-26 season.

When asked about his rehabilitation, Kulusevski said: “It’s great, I’m ahead of schedule and can start walking now. It’s been a few months since I’ve been on the sidelines.”

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When asked if he could potentially return in time for Sweden’s World Cup qualifiers in September, the Tottenham man responded: “It’s early, but we’ll see.”

With the new Premier League season starting on August 16, the fact that Kulusevski is unsure about being fit in September suggests that he is likely to miss the start of the season.

In more positive news, Kulusevski reported for the start of Tottenham pre-season on Sunday, along with 18 of his Spurs teammates.

Football London report that Kulusevski was seen on the treatment table, which is likely a nod to his continued recovery, but also doing some gym work, which seems more optimistic.

It remains to be seen how much progress the Tottenham midfielder can make over the coming month in anticipation of the start of the Premier League campaign. Either way, Thomas Frank will likely want to add to his midfield ranks in order to ease the burden.

Thomas Frank will love working with Kulusevski at Spurs

According to various reports, Thomas Frank will be confirmed as the Tottenham head coach within a matter of days.

Kulusevski is very much a typical Frank attacker, given his energy, physicality, versatility and ability to make decisive contributions in the final third.

It will be exciting to see how the Swede evolves under the Danish coach, but based on the former Juventus man’s update, it sounds like he is going to miss the start of the competitive season.

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed they have finalised Thomas Frank’s backroom staff ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Last month, the sacking of Ange Postecoglou following the Europa League final win over Manchester United came with departures from those who sat in the dugout with the Australian as part of his Tottenham coaching staff.

Among the changes saw Ryan Mason appointed as West Bromwich Albion manager, while Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo were all released from their roles as Assistant Coaches.

The appointment of Thomas Frank as Tottenham head coach saw the Dane bring some of his Brentford personnel with him to North London including Justin Cochrane (First Team Assistant Coach), Chris Haslam (Head of Performance & First Team Assistant Coach) and Joe Newton (First Team Coach Analyst), with Andreas Georgson (First Team Assistant Coach) arriving having recently left Manchester United.

Tottenham’s coaching staff has been confirmed for 2025/26

Frank’s sizeable backroom staff has seen a number of appointments made to get the team he wants in place to start his project at Tottenham, while there are also some of familar faces involved.

Matt Wells, who was Ange Postecoglou’s senior assistant coach remains at the club in the role of First Team Assistant Coach while Under-18’s coach Stewart Lewis takes up a newly-created position of First Team Academy Transition Coach, which will see him help young players make the transition to the Tottenham first team squad along with a say in their development.

Like Lewis, Dean Brill steps up from the academy to become First Team Assistant Goalkeeping Coach, having previously held the position of Head of Academy Goalkeeping and will work alongside former Liverpool goalkeeping coach Fabian Otte.

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Cameron Campbell has also joined Spurs as first team individual development coach having previously been at RB Leipzig.

Rob Burch’s exit is confirmed

The appointment of Otte alongside the promotion of Brill has resulted in Rob Burch, who worked as goalkeeping coach under Postecoglou in also departing the Europa League champions.

Burch returned to Tottenham in the summer of 2023 as First Team Goalkeeping Coach where he was tasked with the development of the likes of Guglielmo Vicario, Brandon Austin and Antonin Kinsky.

The 41-year-old originally joined Tottenham as an academy player and will now look to continue his coaching career away from N17.

Tottenham Hotspur have a few key shirt numbers up for grabs this summer – and with the likes of Luka Vuskovic and a potential new signing of Mohammed Kudus in the mix, fans may not have to wait long to see who gets what.

Tottenham Hotspur have welcomed back several players to Hotspur Way ahead of the 2025/26 season, with Luka Vuskovic among those returning from loan.

The 18-year-old centre-back, who joined Spurs in 2023 for £12 million from Hajduk Split, spent last season gaining valuable minutes out on loan.

Vuskovic is one of 19 players who have reported for pre-season training under new Tottenham boss Thomas Frank, as preparations get underway for their opening friendly fixture against Reading on 19 July.

Tottenham shirt numbers available for Luka Vuskovic

There have been whispers that Luka Vuskovic could remain at Tottenham, although that depends on whether Thomas Frank opts to keep the young centre-back after assessing him throughout pre-season.

A loan move remains on the table, with clubs in the Bundesliga showing interest in the 6 ft 3 defender, who impressed at Westerlo by scoring seven goals last season.

With the friendly clash against Reading drawing near, Football.london have claimed that an announcement on Vuskovic’s squad number for the new campaign may not be too far off either.

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Historically, the Croatian has worn the number 44 shirt at both Hajduk Split and Westerlo, while during his spell at Radomiak Radom, he was handed the No.4 jersey.

However, Vuskovic may be unable to reclaim the No.44 shirt at Tottenham unless Dane Scarlett decides to switch numbers ahead of the new season.

Meanwhile, the No.4 shirt is off the table, having been taken by Kevin Danso following his move to Tottenham during the winter transfer window.

Shirt numbers that could appeal to Vuskovic and Mohammed Kudus at Spurs

That leaves Vuskovic with a small handful of available shirt numbers. The No.34, No.41, No.43, No.46 and No.49 shirts are currently unoccupied, while No.2, No.3 and No.5 are also free but may be held back for more experienced players.

Vuskovic is only just beginning his Tottenham career, so it remains to be seen whether he is handed one of the more traditional squad numbers or something with less significance.

Football.london also report that No.12, No.16 and No.20 have become available following the recent exits of Emerson Royal, Timo Werner and Fraser Forster.

The No.20 shirt may catch the eye of Mohammed Kudus should he arrive in north London this summer, as it is the same number he previously wore at Ajax and currently wears for Ghana.

Tottenham fans have been left stunned by Luka Vuskovic’s towering presence after photos emerged from his first training session at Hotspur Way.

Tottenham Hotspur have already begun preparations for the 2025/26 season, with players now returning to Hotspur Way for the start of pre-season training.

In fact, we revealed that 19 players were spotted in training over the weekend, including injured star Dejan Kulusevski, who continues his rehabilitation work under the club’s medical team.

Among those present were several returning loanees, all looking to make their mark and force their way into Thomas Frank’s first-team plans for the new campaign.

Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic stuns fans in first training session

Of course, Luka Vuskovic has spent the last two seasons away from Tottenham Hotspur, after the club secured his signature for £12 million back in 2023.

Now 18, the Croatian defender is eligible to officially join the Tottenham ranks and has already linked up with the squad, with cameras spotting him in action during training.

Spurs fans who caught a glimpse of the Croatian international were left speechless by his size and imposing frame.

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The Lilywhite faithful took to social media to share their reactions. One fan wrote: “I knew he was tall, but his head is literally hitting the ceiling!”

Another added: “Wow! He is super tall!” while a third exclaimed: “What have they been feeding him? He is huge.”

The reactions kept coming: “18-year-old beast, great to see him wearing one badge at last!” Some called him “a giant”, others said he looked “built like an absolute unit”, while one fan noted: “Looks huge! Going to make an impression like Bergvall did last season.”

Spurs could benefit from Vuskovic’s set-piece presence under Thomas Frank

Vuskovic is expected to be assessed by Thomas Frank, who will decide on the best course of action for the 18-year-old centre-back over the coming weeks.

The towering defender impressed during his loan spell last season, scoring seven goals for Westerlo and even earning a maiden call-up to the Croatian senior national team.

While the first group of Tottenham players have begun pre-season training at Hotspur Way, 16 full internationals will only arrive later this week.

The Thomas Frank era at Spurs has now officially begun, with the Dane and his coaching staff having the opportunity to meet many members of the first-team squad who returned to training over the weekend.

The likes of Dominic Solanke, Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski, Guglielmo Vicario, Djed Spence and others were all spotted doing some gym work in the latest video released by the club.

Who are the Tottenham players yet to return to training?

Football.London have now pointed out that as expected, 16 first-team players, who were on international duty after the end of the season, were not spotted in the video and are listed below.

The outlet confirms that many of these players are due to return over the coming days, with Frank soon expected to have a full squad to work with apart from the injured Kulusevski and Dragusin, who are continuing their rehab at Hotspur Way.

Thomas Frank will prioritise sorting out the futures of two players

The first order of business for the new Tottenham head coach this week would be to sort out the futures of the club’s captain and vice-captain.

Heung-min Son’s future at Spurs appears to be up in the air, and Frank will want to speak to the South Korean before deciding whether he stays or departs.

Cristian Romero has long been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur may need to appoint a new second in command.

Ange Postecoglou surprised some when he named Cristian Romero as his vice-captain alongside James Maddison. It was hard to imagine the aggressive defender in a leadership position, because he lacked discipline on the pitch and often took his challenges too far.

Despite this, he has excelled in the role and even wore the captain’s armband during Tottenham’s Europa League victory over Manchester United. However, Romero has been linked with Atletico Madrid, while a recent report has claimed Real Madrid are ready to enter the race for Romero.

With the Argentine’s future up in the air, Thomas Frank may need to consider who he will appoint as his new vice-captain. Here are four players who could fill the role:

Dejan Kulusesvski is the obvious choice for Tottenham

Heung-min Son has faced criticism as Spurs captain and many were calling for Dejan Kulusevski to replace him. The Swede speaks his mind and does not shy away from making statements which may not make him too popular in the dressing room.

Kulusevski slammed Tottenham as ‘not good enough’ after a North London derby defeat in January. He was outspoken once again in April following a loss to Nottingham Forest, calling on his team to take responsibility.

Spurs supporters want players who are willing to own up to their mistakes and actually show emotion, rather than dishing out generic, media-trained messages.

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Kulusevski can certainly deliver in that department, although he does need to be doing enough to earn his place in the starting lineup, after a lacklustre second half to last season.

Micky van de Ven could be given a chance

Replacing one centre-back as vice-captain with another would be a logical decision and Micky van de Ven deserves the promotion as much as anyone. He comes across well in interviews, remaining cool, composed and confident.

Van de Ven is one of the best players in the Tottenham first-team squad and is the type of player who would thrive in a role of leadership.

Pedro Porro should be a contender

Not so long ago it looked like Pedro Porro would be playing his football away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. These days, he looks committed to the cause at Tottenham and his performances were on an upward spiral towards the end of last season.

Despite Djed Spence finally having his breakthrough season at Spurs, Porro still looks to be a comfortable starter. He played more minutes than most during the last campaign and plays an important role as a forward-thinking full-back. Soon to be 26 years old, now could be a good time for him to join the leadership trio at Tottenham.

Rodrigo Bentancur has previously been tipped to become Tottenham captain

Many at Tottenham see Rodrigo Bentancur as a future club captain. The 28-year-old is a balanced midfielder and has clearly earned the respect of big figures in the Spurs hierarchy.

However, he was at the centre of a controversial incident at the beginning of last season which saw him banned by the FA for seven matches. His behaviour was pure stupidity and not the kind of thing a leader would do. Spurs can only hope he has learned from the experience and will be ready to rise to a new challenge.

Concluding thoughts on the Tottenham vice-captaincy

Ideally, Cristian Romero will remain at Tottenham and no decision will need to be made on vice-captains. However, Frank may choose to appoint his own squad leaders, which is perfectly acceptable.

Of all the suggested players, Kulusevski makes the most sense, but he has to play at his best and ensure he is making the Spurs starting lineup on a weekly basis. If his struggle for form continues into the new season, perhaps van de Ven or Porro would be a better player to claim the role.

Tottenham are keeping tabs on Giorgio Scalvini as the Atalanta defender emerges as a potential option to strengthen the backline this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are no strangers to shopping in the Serie A market, as some of the top performers in the Tottenham squad have been poached from Italy.

In fact, Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, Dejan Kulusevski and vice-captain Cristian Romero are all some of the top players Spurs have managed to sign from the Italian first division.

Tottenham, of course, could be in the market for a centre-back this summer should Cristian Romero leave Hotspur Way for Atletico Madrid, who are said to be relentless in their pursuit of the Tottenham man, and they could turn to Serie A for a replacement.

Tottenham show interest in Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini

CaughtOffside are now reporting that Tottenham are amongst a host of clubs said to be showing interest in a potential move for Atalanta central defender Giorgio Scalvini.

The 21-year-old centre-back featured just eight times last season, as most of his campaign was hindered by injuries that kept him out for a long period, with the Italian spending 146 days on the sidelines.

However, in the 2023/24 season, he was an ever-present figure in the Italian side’s backline, playing 33 times in Serie A and eight times in the Europa League.

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It is now understood that Atalanta would be willing to part ways with the centre-back, and that a €60million (£51m) price tag has been placed on him. Ironically, Scalvini could be seen as a replacement for Cristian Romero, who Spurs purchased from Atalanta for £42m in 2021.

Spurs face Premier League and European competition for Giorgio Scalvini

While Tottenham remain interested in the Italian, it is claimed that Premier League rivals Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle are also keeping tabs on the Atalanta man.

Sides across Europe are also monitoring the talented young defender, who is capable of playing in defensive midfield, including the likes of Napoli, Juventus and Inter Milan.

It is understood that things remain at an early stage, but this could change quickly as clubs may soon step up their efforts to enter into a dialogue with both Scalvini and his representatives, as well as with Atalanta.

With interest rife, it remains to be seen where the young centre-back opts to ply his trade should he leave the Nerazzurri this summer.

Juventus have set their sights on Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma, with the Italian giants evaluating a potential summer move as Spurs prepare for a reshuffle.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in the big time after securing a return to the UEFA Champions League, following their Europa League triumph last season.

A squad refresh will be very much needed this summer window, with new signings expected at Spurs and several players also likely to head for the exit door.

Yves Bissouma, who earns £55,000 a week and has just twelve months remaining on his current contract, is one of the players who has been linked with a departure from N17.

Juventus eye Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma

The Malian featured 44 times last season, but his performances across much of the campaign left plenty to be desired, as inconsistency plagued his outings.

Fresh reports from Gazzetta now claim that Yves Bissouma is attracting interest from Italian side Juventus, who are monitoring the situation closely.

It is understood that the Bianconeri are evaluating whether to launch a move for the Mali international this summer, with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy placing a £15–£20 million valuation on the midfielder – a fee seen as an economic positive for the Old Lady.

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Bissouma attracting Premier League interest but Juventus lead the chase

The publication also reports that Yves Bissouma is drawing interest from clubs in the Premier League, although they do not name any of the sides involved.

It is believed that Daniel Levy would prefer to do business with Juventus rather than with a domestic rival, should an offer materialise in the coming weeks.

New Juventus sporting director Damien Comolli is said to have a strong relationship with Levy, having worked at Spurs in the past – a detail which could benefit the Serie A club during negotiations.

Fabian Otte is set to join Tottenham as the club’s new goalkeeper coach, in what is seen as a major behind-the-scenes coup under new boss Thomas Frank.

Tottenham Hotspur have since decided that Thomas Frank would be the man to lead them into a new era, after the club decided to part ways with Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian manager ended Spurs’ 17-year wait for a major piece of silverware following the club’s Europa League triumph in Bilbao, Spain, against Manchester United.

However, that was deemed not good enough by club chairman Daniel Levy, who opted to make Postecoglou his 15th managerial sacking in his 24 years at the helm at Tottenham.

Fabian Otte to join Tottenham coaching staff

Thomas Frank has since started work, with a number of his Tottenham players having now resumed training ahead of their pre-season friendlies.

Following his appointment back in June, the 51-year-old manager was joined by five of his backroom staff, including former Tottenham man Justin Cochrane, who is highly rated.

It has now been revealed that Spurs have made another addition to their coaching department, with Fabian Otte set to become Tottenham’s new goalkeeper coach.

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It is reported that the 34-year-old coach is extremely highly regarded in the game and only left Liverpool at the end of June, in a move that is seen as a major coup by Spurs.

Rob Burch departs Spurs as Fabian Otte steps in

With Otte expected to come through the door, former goalkeeping coach Rob Burch is said to have departed Hotspur Way this summer.

Burch was a part of Postecoglou’s backroom staff, having started work in his role as goalkeeping coach back in the 23/24 season, the Australian’s first season as Tottenham boss.

It was not stated why Burch has left his new role, whether it was personal or the club dismissed him, remains to be seen.

As Tottenham are set to begin pre-season training under new head coach Thomas Frank, we have now put together a list of every player who has returned to first-team training, including the injured Dejan Kulusevski.

Tottenham Hotspur are now less than two weeks away from their first pre-season friendly set to take place on 19 July, against Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, Reading.

That clash would also mark new head coach Thomas Frank’s first game in charge as Spurs boss, before he plays four other friendly clashes ahead of the 25/26 season.

Of course, pre-season would be crucial for the Dane, as reports claim that one of the reasons why Spurs are yet to make any more signings this summer is because Frank is looking to first assess his new group of players, and with players now returning for training, the Spurs boss can begin to do just that.

Tottenham players spotted at Hotspur Way ahead of pre-season training

We have long reported that this week is when the majority of Spurs players are expected to return to Hotspur Way, while those who were involved in the U19 and U21 European Championships are set to return later.

Pedro Porro, an ever-present for Spurs last season, was spotted at Hotspur Way earlier this week, with the defender gearing up for the upcoming season under new boss Frank.

Several other players have since been spotted at Hotspur Way as Tottenham begin their first session of pre-season training. It has been revealed that a good mix of first-teamers, youngsters and players returning from loan have made an appearance at Hotspur Way.

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Injured Dejan Kulusevski has also reported to Hotspur Way, likely to continue his rehabilitation and recovery process ahead of the new season.

Here is a list of every player spotted in Spurs’ training centre ahead of the start of pre-season training:

Spurs youngsters and returning loanees pushing for pre-season opportunities

Of course, with a game against Reading not too far away, we have attempted to predict how Spurs could line up in the EFL League Two side.

We have also been revealed when other players could return to training, including Mikey Moore, as July 13 is the set date for the youngster to join Frank and co.