Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has provided an encouraging update on Dejan Kulusevski’s fitness ahead of the upcoming international break.
Spurs have endured a frustrating injury situation this season, with their list of unavailable players changing regularly. At one point, Tottenham had reduced the number of injured players to just three, but that figure increased to six following last weekend’s action.
Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie and Sandro Tonali all suffered knocks, raising fresh concerns over the squad’s fitness. However, De Zerbi has since offered positive news, confirming that all three players are fit and available for this weekend’s fixture.
There is also encouraging news regarding Kulusevski, who has been sidelined for an extended period.
Earlier today, Spurs Web reported that the Sweden international had returned to full training alongside his Tottenham teammates. His return represents a significant step forward considering the length of his absence, which has stretched to almost two years.
Kulusevski initially returned to training in August, but his comeback was disrupted by a number of setbacks that delayed his progress.
De Zerbi has now spoken about the midfielder’s situation and stressed the importance of carefully managing his return.
“We have to manage Deki in the best way we can, but this is a great thing for us because he is a good player and a good guy,” De Zerbi said, speaking to football.london.
“He deserves to play again and we have to work day by day. Also for Deki, the national break is important because when he is at top condition and over the injury, he will be like another new signing.”
Tottenham will understandably be cautious with Kulusevski as he continues his rehabilitation. Avoiding another setback will be a major priority, meaning the club is unlikely to take unnecessary risks with his comeback.
The immediate objective will be to gradually restore his fitness, sharpness and match conditioning before considering a return to competitive first-team action.
There is currently no confirmed date for Kulusevski’s return. However, he could potentially feature in some behind-closed-doors matches as Tottenham look to build up his fitness before throwing him back into Premier League action.
There had also been speculation that Kulusevski could link up with the Sweden squad during the international break. Given his current fitness situation, however, that appears highly unlikely.
For now, Tottenham’s priority will be ensuring the midfielder makes a full recovery and returns when he is ready rather than rushing him back.