Football London

The Croatian has endured a torrid time since taking over as Spurs manager, but he's no stranger to discord amongst a squad

Tottenham Hotspur boss Igor Tudor faced disarray and player unrest at former club Marseille that left five players banished from training.

Spurs' season hit a dramatic new low on Thursday night when they were beaten 3-1 by Crystal Palace at home, leaving them teetering on the edge of the relegation places. Tudor has failed to alleviate any of the pressure in north London after Spurs parted ways with Thomas Frank in February following a run of poor results.

The Croatian has lost all three of his matches in charge so far and his torrid experience somewhat echoes the doomed spell he endured in France between 2022 and 2023. Despite leading Marseille to third in Ligue 1, Tudor, 47, left the club 12 months after joining them, citing "tiredness."

His time at the Velodrome was marked by discord and infighting. It was perhaps destined to end in tears. The Marseille squad were thought to be fond of former boss Jorge Sampaoli, who left due to the club's transfer policy.

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Upon arriving in France, there was every indication that the squad were immediately unhappy with Tudor's appointment, with palpable tension rumoured between the coach and his players amid an intense pre-season.

What followed was nothing short of full-blown chaos. Brazilian midfielder Gerson was thought to have had a heated exchange with Tudor and was removed from training.

French full-back Jordan Amavi was then dropped from the first team squad entirely after an argument with Tudor on the same day. Turkish winger Cengiz Under also disagreed with his head coach, but wasn't believed to have been given his marching orders from the sessions.

Former Arsenal defender Nuno Tavares was also given the boot from a training session. Senegal striker Bamba Dieng was reportedly axed too, but the reasons for that are unclear.

Another ex-Gunner, Matteo Guendouzi, clashed with Tudor and also felt his manager's wrath. Guendouzi allegedly had a "lively altercation" with Tudor during the team's 2-0 pre-season defeat to AC Milan. It resulted in the Frenchman heading off the pitch for a shower, packing his belongings and not coming out for the second half.

Speaking on his penchant for discipline, Tudor said: “In my football, there is a feature, you have to run. And if you don’t… If I see one player that doesn’t run in training, I’ll say it once, twice and then on the third time of asking, I’ll intervene."

Discussing a player, who was later revealed to be Tavares, Tudor claimed the international was not making “necessary efforts" as the reason for ostracising the current Lazio star.

Tudor's rocky tenure also took a surreal turn after former Italian international, Mauro Camoranesi, lasted just a week as assistant coach, despite Tudor introducing him to his players as his “right arm."

After Tudor departed for Lazio, where he lasted three months, Marseille president Pablo Longaria told Calciomercato: “I wouldn’t wish what Igor suffered on my worst enemy.

“He found himself at a club where everyone was against him, from the inside and outside. Many people organised themselves to increase the tension against him. People were asking for Jorge Sampaoli to return, while others wanted to give power to the players.

“There were requests to fan groups to oust the coach. When I returned to Marseille, I felt that pre-season was like the 37th matchday of the championship, you had to play your life. It’s not normal.”

Following the defeat to Palace, Tudor's comments suggested he is ready to act on those Spurs players who don't quickly acquiesce to his methods, harking back to his strict regime in France. "I will tell you now, maybe it will sound strange, but I believe more after this game than I believed before," said Tudor.

"I saw something. I need to choose the right guys because the boat is going in the direction that I want to go, and needs to go, and who is in the boat can stay. Otherwise they can leave the boat."

It doesn't get any easier for Spurs next week. They travel first to Atletico Madrid for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, and then head to Liverpool in the league.

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been linked with a return to management amid claims that he could leave his role as Red Bull’s global head of soccer

Jurgen Klopp is not in negotiations with Real Madrid amid links linking him with Tottenham Hotspur. Klopp stepped down as Liverpool manager in the summer of 2024, after almost nine years in charge, to take a break from management.

The German has since become the global head of soccer for the Red Bull Group. However, there have been claims in recent weeks that he is keen to return to management.

Los Blancos have been mentioned as a possible destination in recent weeks following Xabi Alonso’s departure in January. While Tottenham have also been linked as they continue to search for a long-term successor to Thomas Frank.

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But responding to the recent speculation, Klopp’s agent, Marc Kosicke, told 365Scores, relayed by Abola: "Jurgen Klopp is very happy with his current role at Red Bull, and what is being said about negotiations to coach Real Madrid are just rumours for now."

Kosicke also specifically denied reports that Klopp could go into international management ahead of the World Cup. He said: "There's no need to answer questions about things that are just rumours. Nobody has contacted us at this time."

The German won the Champions League and Premier League at Liverpool, and his close bond with the club prompted him to state he would never coach another English side.

"What I know definitely – I will never, ever manage a different club in England than Liverpool, 100%," Klopp said when announcing he would step down as Liverpool boss. "That's not possible. My love for this club, my respect for the people, is too big.

"I couldn't. I couldn't for a second think about it. There's no chance. This is part of my life, we are part of the family, we feel home here. There's no chance to do that. But all the rest, will I ever work again? Of course, I know myself, I cannot just sit around.

"I will find something else maybe to do. But I will not manage a club or a country at least for a year, that's not possible, I cannot do that and I don't want to. That's all."

A report published by Salzburger Nachrichten last month claimed that Klopp’s position was no longer secure at Red Bull, and the company would not stand in his way if he wished to return to management.

But responding to those claims, Mintzlaf told The Athletic: "That's complete nonsense and totally unfounded. On the contrary: We are extremely satisfied with Jurgen Klopp’s work.

"He invests a great deal, is in constant communication with our coaches and sporting directors, and is sustainably developing our Red Bull football philosophy.

"We are convinced that he is the right man for the job. That’s where we are focusing all our energy and attention."

Former Brighton and Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has been linked with replacing Igor Tudor as Tottenham Hotspur manager

Roberto De Zerbi continues to be linked with the manager’s job at Tottenham Hotspur, and his past comments hint an appointment could be possible. Spurs are currently battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League, but do have a Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid on the horizon.

Igor Tudor was appointed by Tottenham as the club’s interim manager until the end of the season, but has lost all three matches in charge in north London in the Premier League.

This run of form leaves Spurs in 16th place in the top-flight standings and just one point above the relegation zone.

As a result, there has been speculation surrounding Tudor’s future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite the club only confirming his appointment last month.

De Zerbi’s name was mentioned in the report in The Telegraph, which claimed that Tudor’s future at Tottenham is in doubt, with the former Brighton boss mentioned as a potential successor.

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The 46-year-old has been out of work since leaving Marseille earlier this year, and was heavily linked with the vacant Tottenham role before Tudor was appointed.

The report claims that De Zerbi is a contender to be Tottenham manager from the summer, but only if the club remains in the Premier League and avoids relegation.

It was after De Zerbi left Brighton almost two years ago that he outlined his feelings on returning to a Premier League, with Manchester United also linked with a potential appointment in the past.

"There isn't any club – no one offered [anything]. At the moment, nothing," De Zerbi told Match of the Day at the end of the 2023/24 season.

"I hope to work in the Premier League again. I don't know where or when. But it was an honour to work in the Premier League."

This is not the only time that De Zerbi has addressed his future and rumours that Tottenham could be a destination, with the manager opening up on the speculation during his time at Brighton.

"I have a long contract and I am happy to work here [Brighton],” De Zerbi said during his time on the south coast.

"I'm enjoying working with these players, and I'm pleased with their performance. I cannot ask for more from them.

“We have a dream, and we know very well [that can] write a new history for the club. For us, that is very important and a very nice challenge."

Tottenham's teenage central defender Luka Vuskovic has starred on loan in Germany with Hamburger SV this season

Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic is continuing to make headlines in Germany following an excellent loan spell in the Bundesliga with Hamburg.

Much has been said about the Croatia international in recent weeks as he's reportedly attracting transfer interest from European heavyweights Barcelona and Bayern Munich, respectively.

Now Vuskovic has added another string to his bow after scoring a penalty in this afternoon's Bundesliga fixture away to Wolfsburg.

The 19-year-old's goalscoring ability is certainly nothing new; he struck seven times on loan at Westerlo in Belgium last season and also scored three times in 14 appearances for Polish outfit Radomiak Radom.

But what's remarkable is that Vuskovic has now written a piece of history, becoming the first teenager to score a penalty for Hamburg in some 55 years.

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It's his fifth goal of the season in the Bundesliga which is why HSV are so desperate to keep him at the club on loan for another season.

Interestingly, the German side won another penalty in the second half but this time Jean-Luc Dompe stepped up from 12-yards, ahead of Vuskovic, and also slotted home.

Vuskovic has already outlined his desire to play alongside his brother Mario, who will be available again from November following the conclusion of his doping ban.

Last week, following the 1-0 home defeat against Bayer Leverkusen, Vuskovic threw his boots in anger at the substitutes' bench.

He later received praise from HSV head coach Merlin Polzin, who felt the player's fury highlighted his winning mentality.

Whatever happens between now and the end of the campaign, including in north London as Spurs battle to beat the drop, Vuskovic is set to return to Tottenham in the summer.

That's because Hamburg do not have a permanent transfer option, so even if they decide to try and re-sign the Croat on loan, they will have to negotiate with Tottenham.

There's already a sense he may have offers too as a number of clubs are monitoring his progress closely.

Though there are also doubts over Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven's long-term Tottenham futures, so Spurs might opt to keep Vuskovic if either of those players depart the club.

More pressingly, Igor Tudor's side do not even know what division they will be playing in next season, so they are unlikely to rush into any decision over Vuskovic's future.

He is also set to represent the Croatia national team at this summer's World Cup finals which will help him build even more experience.

It's time for a brand new episode of Talking Tottenham with our Spurs correspondents Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor as they discuss the club's problems

The threat of relegation hangs over Tottenham but it's not just about what it means for the players on the pitch.

Spurs currently sit just a point above the Premier League drop zone after results elsewhere went against them this week before their own defeat at home against Crystal Palace on Thursday night. Igor Tudor has been tasked with keeping the north London club up but has thus far lost all three of his opening games, all of them derbies.

Relegation would be disastrous for Tottenham with a reported £250million in lost revenue if they go down and many staff inside the club, across various departments, are fearing for their jobs with mass cutbacks expected if the Lilywhites were to drop into the Championship.

Much has been made of the wage reduction clauses built into many of the first team players' contracts in case of relegation, with most of them up to 50 per cent. However, what might have been overlooked within that is that many of the Spurs' younger players, including those put on loan, are also believed to have such clauses in their professional deals, meaning they will see their wages slashed if the north London outfit were to drop out of the Premier League.

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Our Tottenham correspondents Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor spoke about just how devastating relegation would be for the club and those within it and what needs to happen for Spurs to avoid it in the latest episode of their podcast Talking Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur sit one point clear of the bottom three as Premier League relegation pressure ramps up

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in appointing former Crystal Palace supremo Dougie Freedman as their new sporting director, according to reports.

Spurs have been searching for a replacement chief since Fabio Paratici left the club in January. BBC Sport has reported that Freedman is a person of interest in their hierarchical restructure despite concerns over interim head coach Igor Tudor.

Thursday's 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace left the North London club mired in relegation danfer after their city rivals came from behind to inflict a third-straight defeat on the Croatian. Dominic Solanke had given Spurs the lead but Mickey van de Ven's red card turned the encounter on its head as Palace netted three goals in the latter stages of the first-half to compound the misery.

OPINION

Freedman has been credited as the person behind the successful period at Selhurst Park that saw Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton make the move to south London. It has been said that he isn't the only option, however, with Paul Winstanley and Tiago Pinto on their radar.

Spurs sit one point clear of the bottom three as they stare down the barrel of their first relegation since 1977. West Ham United have turned around their fortunes under Nuno Espirito Santo with Crysencio Summerville's winner helping them move closer to safety with their 1-0 win over Fulham.

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Elliot Anderson salvaged a crucial point for Nottingham Forest which leaves them outside the relegation zone but both the Nottinghamshire side and the Hammers are breathing down Spurs' neck as both sides look up, while Tudor's side are looking over their shoulder following a run of 11 matches without a win.

The Telegraph has reported that former Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi is a possible option to be installed as manager at the end of the season.

It has been said that talks have been held about appointing the Italian if Spurs avoid relegation. However, their focus is now on Premier League survival with a difficult run to come, starting with a trip to Liverpool - the one match Van de Ven will serve a suspension for.

Amid the difficult run, the former Juventus head coach says his belief has increased following their display against Palace - despite fans steaming for the exits in the first-half.

He said: "I understand the fans, they wanted more. We also wanted more. The red card changed everything.

"It might sound strange, I believe more after this game than I believed before. I saw something.

"I need to choose the right guys because the boat is going in the direction that I need to go, and who is in the boat can stay, otherwise, [they] can leave the boat.

"When the other players come back, I'm sure we'll have a good team and come back. It's not easy to accept the moment we are in now."

The Tottenham midfielder has been speaking about his team-mates and the young players coming through at the north London club

Xavi Simons believes that Archie Gray is the best Tottenham player in training and the most surprising at the club and has named two Spurs youngsters to watch out for.

The Dutchman joined Spurs from RB Leipzig in the summer in a £51million deal and has shown glimpses of the ability that saw him come through the youth ranks at Barcelona and PSG. The 22-year-old will be hoping to make a big impact in Tottenham's Champions League last 16 tie at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night and in helping the north London outfit move away from the Premier League danger zone in the weeks ahead.

During a quickfire Q&A with Pro:Direct Soccer, the Spurs midfielder was asked various questions about his time in N17 and his team-mates.

He revealed that 19-year-old Gray is the best in training at the club and also the player who has surprised him the most since he arrived at Tottenham.

"I really like how he plays and I think he's going to be a really good midfielder," said the Netherlands international.

Xavi named 17-year-old academy products Luca Williams-Barnett and Jun'ai Byfield as two youngsters to look out for at the Premier League club in the years ahead and the currently injured Mohammed Kudus as the most underrated player within the building. He named his international team-mate and Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber as the opponent he has most enjoyed battling with this season.

And what do his Spurs team-mates call Xavi? He would only give away one of the two monikers he has within the club.

"They call me Xa or they call me another word, but this I cannot say, so I will keep it for myself!" he said.

On which Tottenham players have looked after him since he arrived in N17, he added: "I would say a lot of guys, especially Micky [Van de Ven] and all the other guys that I played against like Mathys Tel, Djed Spence, Kevin Danso, [Randal] Kolo Muani, everyone."

Xavi also gets through a lot of boots in a season, admitting: "If I'm honest, I have a lot of boots, but I try not to change the boots a lot. But in a season, I don't know, maybe 40, 50, something like that. I keep the special ones as well."

After Tottenham Hotspur suffered their latest embarrassing setback of 2026, Igor Tudor and his players have been given a firm warning by Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer believes Tottenham Hotspur will sack Igor Tudor if they continue to slip further into the relegation battle. Crystal Palace's 3-1 away victory over the north Londoners has all but confirmed Spurs' status as relegation battlers.

They are now only one point away from 18th placed West Ham United, who are beginning to string together results at a tentative pace. Tudor has lost three matches out of three since he was temporarily appointed after the sacking of Thomas Frank, but it appears the club still has faith in the Croatian.

However, results are showing no signs of improvement and with the club facing the prospect of tumbling out of the top flight for the first time since 1977, alarm bells are ringing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Shearer believes this may prompt the club to sack Tudor out of desperation.

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Speaking to Betfair, Shearer said: "I could see spurs getting rid of Igor Tudor before the end of the season. It wouldn't be a surprise to me with that club.

"I've said all I can on Spurs, there's a real-life possibility that Spurs could be relegated and can you imagine that stadium in the Championship. Somehow, from somewhere, they're going to have to get some unity, because On Thursday they just looked as if they were done.

"Unless that improves big style, then they're going down, because at least the others, at least Forest went to City and showed some fight. West Ham have dragged all of them back into it.

"It would be one the biggest Premier League shocks if they were to go down. I mean, what would be bigger, Leicester winning it, or Spurs being relegated? I guess it's on a similar scale.

"It would be a shock to the system. It would, without doubt, be one of the biggest shocks of all time. I suppose, with that training ground, with that stadium. I mean, it's just unthinkable for them. I mean, you can imagine what it would do to them as a Football Club."

The fixtures are not getting any easier for Spurs. Up next is a Champions League round of 16 away clash against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday March 10, which is swiftly followed by a daunting away clash against Liverpool the following Sunday.

In that period, 17th placed Nottingham Forest face Fulham at home and an increasingly more confident West Ham United host Manchester City. A Tottenham defeat coupled with results elsewhere will bring them closer to those dreaded dotted lines and potentially drag them under.

Looking at the rest of the campaign, Shearer believes Spurs are definitely relegation contenders. He added: "Tottenham Hotspur are a mess and if they go down, they deserve to go down. Spurs have a big chance of getting relegated now.

"When I saw them against Newcastle, I said that from that night onwards, I thought there's a real prospect of them being relegated, because I just didn't see any fight.

"I didn't see any desire or any attitude from the Spurs players, particularly in that first half on Thursday, but I think last Thursday encapsulates what they are, they're a mess. I mean, both on and off the pitch.

"You can tell confidence is fragile. I know they've got injuries, but everyone has injuries. And if they go down, they deserve to go down because it hasn't just happened this season.

"It was last season when they finished, and I mean, we all thought that can't happen again, but it has, so they can only blame themselves."

Tottenham have been dragged into the relegation scrap and fans were left furious during the 3-1 defeat by Crystal Palace on Thursday night

Igor Tudor was recruited to make a difference. Tudor has certainly achieved that - though not in the manner the club had envisaged. They appear even more troubled now than when he assumed control.

Tottenham's caretaker manager has suffered defeat in all three matches under his stewardship, edging the club nearer to the drop and already losing the faith of the supporters.

Fans departed in significant numbers at the interval, whilst those who remained voiced their displeasure as the team self-destructed before their eyes.

Tottenham went from leading 1-0 after 34 minutes to trailing 3-1 at the break following the dismissal of stand-in captain and star performer Micky van de Ven.

The perpetually upbeat stadium announcer Paul Coyte attempted to rally supporters at half-time: "This game is a long way from over."

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Few appeared convinced. Little surprise, then, that frustrated supporters even directed their anger towards club analysts positioned in the stands. "Analyse that - we're f***ing going down."

The sentiment was difficult to dispute. Fans subsequently hurled abuse at executives in the directors' box before the second period commenced, as the atmosphere grew increasingly hostile.

But at what stage do Tottenham acknowledge that the impact manager - who had triumphed in all his opening fixtures at his previous five clubs - must be replaced if Spurs are to preserve their top-flight status?

Tottenham sit just a point clear of the relegation places, whilst West Ham and Nottingham Forest are demonstrating considerably more resilience and resolve to escape danger. Spurs were abysmal, directionless and the players appeared as dejected as the fans.

It seems the squad have lost faith in the manager. They looked utterly exhausted. Tudor has attempted every solution and nothing has proved effective. On this occasion, Tudor made four alterations, even benching the club's £34m January acquisition Conor Gallagher alongside Xavi Simons, Yves Bissouma, and Radu Dragusin.

Souza, Kevin Danso, Pape Sarr, and Mathys Tel were brought into the starting XI. Brazilian youngster Souza caught Daniel Munoz with a heavy challenge, forcing the defender off injured in what appeared a significant setback as Nathaniel Clyne entered as his replacement.

However, Palace were disciplined, having regained momentum under Oliver Glasner, and thought they'd scored when Ismaila Sarr's effort deflected in off Pedro Porro, only for VAR to rule it out for the narrowest of offside calls.

That decision felt incredibly cruel. And four minutes later, Tottenham took the lead.

Archie Gray - amongst the few Spurs players to perform creditably - raced down the right flank, pulled the ball back for Dominic Solanke to finish clinically.

The stadium erupted. There was renewed optimism and Spurs supporters began to dream. But that optimism lasted merely four minutes.

Sarr burst into the Spurs penalty area, van de Ven almost instinctively hauled him down and referee Andy Madley showed no hesitation in brandishing a red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity and pointing to the spot. It mirrored Palace defender Maxence Lacroix's dismissal at Manchester United on Sunday, with Sarr composedly converting from the spot to draw the visitors level after 40 minutes.

Palace snatched the lead in the opening minute of first half stoppage time. Mathys Tel's careless pass surrendered possession, Evann Guessand performed impressively before Adam Wharton threaded through Jorgen Strand Larsen to find the net.

In the seventh minute of first half added time, matters deteriorated further. Wharton executed a delightful pass splitting Pedro Porro and Joao Palhinha, allowing Sarr to dart through and clip the ball beyond Guglielmo Vicario.

To their credit, Spurs demonstrated genuine resilience in the second period as the ten men battled valiantly and refused to capitulate, but the damage had been done and recovery proved impossible.

Tottenham are in a dire situation in the Premier League and they've not had much luck with injuries either, but some key players are expected back soon

Tottenham have a staggering 11 players currently unavailable in their fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Igor Tudor's side currently sit fifth from bottom and are just one point away from slipping into the drop zone following defeat to Crystal Palace.

Spurs had actually started well and initially went in front, only to capitulate towards the end of the first half as they conceded three goals following Micky van de Ven's red card. He will now miss their next league clash against Liverpool, but Cristian Romero is set to return from a four-match ban.

In terms of injury comebacks, three Spurs stars are likely to be back available for that trip to Anfield, with at least one of those expected back for the Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid. With a lengthy international break on the horizon, several injured players could be back available in early April.

With all of that being said, football.london has taken a detailed look at Spurs' current injury list and when those absent stars could return

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Mohammed Kudus

Kudus has been out with a major quad injury since the 1-1 draw against Sunderland back in early January. He is slated to return after the March international break, but that will likely depend on how his recovery has progressed.

Possible return date: Sunderland (A) - April 12

Lucas Bergvall

Bergvall suffered an ankle issue in the Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund earlier this year. He is another expected to be back following the upcoming domestic pause.

Possible return date: Sunderland (A) - April 12

Destiny Udogie

Udogie was forced off with a hamstring problem against Manchester United last month. The Italy international was confirmed out for "four to five weeks" in early February, and thus he is due to return soon.

Possible return date: Nottingham Forest (H) - March 22

Djed Spence

Tudor ruled Spence out of facing Palace, but was able to issue a positive update on that calf issue that has been plaguing him for the last few weeks.

What Tudor said: "Djed is out, he's not ready for the game. We hope for the Champions League [vs Atletico in Madrid].

Possible return date: Atletico Madrid (A) - March 10

Radu Dragusin

After three consecutive Premier League starts, Dragusin was absent from the squad that faced Palace because of a minor knock.

Possible return date: Atletico Madrid (A) - March 10

Ben Davies

Davies has not played for Tottenham since mid-January after going off against West Ham United. He was forced to undergo ankle surgery, with the hope being that the Wales international is set to return after the international break.

Possible return date: Sunderland (A) - April 12

James Maddison

Maddison ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during pre-season and is working hard to return before the season concludes.

Possible return date: Aston Villa (A) - May 2/3

Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski is also recovering from a long-term knee injury, which was suffered back in May 2025. It is currently unclear whether he will play this season.

Possible return date: N/A

Rodrigo Bentancur

Bentancur picked up a bad hamstring injury in early 2026 and is in a race against time to return before the end of May.

Possible return date: Aston Villa (A) - May 2/3

Wilson Odobert

Odobert ruptured his ACL against Newcastle and is therefore not expected back until later this year.