Tottenham's Injury Update: Key Players Poised for Return
Tottenham’s season has started with a thud, not a bang. A 3-0 beating at Brentford, the manager questioning his team’s fitness, and a treatment room packed with first‑team players is not what a lavish summer of spending was supposed to buy.
Roberto De Zerbi did not sugar-coat it after the defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium. He said his players are not yet fit enough to compete in the Premier League. The evidence on Saturday backed him up.
But this week offers a sliver of light. Spurs host Charlton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, then finally return to N17 for their first home League game of the season against Newcastle on August 29. By then, they hope the cavalry will have started to arrive.
Here’s where the squad stands.
Micky van de Ven
The new club captain could only watch from the sidelines at Brentford, armband in name only for now.
Van de Ven picked up an injury during pre-season in Australia and did not play a single minute before the campaign kicked off. The lack of minutes has left him chasing his fitness while Spurs tried to muddle through without their defensive leader.
De Zerbi, speaking last week, sounded encouraged: “He worked with the group [on Friday], he's going very well. He suffered a problem during the pre-season in Australia, I don't know, the flight, I don't know, something, not a big problem, but not right to work.”
Spurs hope the wait is almost over.
Potential return date: Newcastle (H), August 29, 2026
Pedro Porro
The first vice-captain was another conspicuous absentee at Brentford.
Pedro Porro missed the entire pre-season after returning late from Spain’s World Cup win and was not ready to feature on opening weekend. Match rhythm has deserted him, but not for long if Spurs’ internal optimism proves right.
He is back in training and working his way towards full sharpness after three weeks off. The right-back is considered close to a return to competitive action, which would be a major boost to both Spurs’ build-up play and their set-piece threat.
Potential return date: Newcastle (H), August 29, 2026
Mohammed Kudus
Mohammed Kudus has not kicked a ball for Spurs since January. That drought may soon end.
The Ghana international underwent surgery on a quad injury and only recently rejoined the group, having briefly returned home last week following a family bereavement. De Zerbi’s assessment was upbeat.
“Kudos is almost ready, that is a big point for us,” he said. “It's important also the management of the players, when the players have some problem, we have to stay calm, don't take risks.”
Spurs have badly missed his creativity and goal threat between the lines. A fit Kudus changes the dynamic of their attack.
Potential return date: Nottingham Forest (A), September 5, 2026
James Maddison
James Maddison’s evening at Brentford brought more concern than comfort.
The midfielder came off the bench as Spurs chased a lost cause but could not drag them back into the contest, and he left with a fresh worry after landing awkwardly on his shoulder. Now he is a doubt for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Charlton.
Maddison is still trying to build up his match fitness after a disrupted preparation. Any knock slows that process again and deprives De Zerbi of one of his primary playmakers at a time when invention is in short supply.
The head coach is expected to give a clearer update at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
Potential return date: Newcastle (H), August 29, 2026
Pape Matar Sarr
Pape Matar Sarr’s absence on opening day was another late headache.
The midfielder, who has attracted transfer interest, suffered a hamstring problem last week and missed the trip to Brentford. He had come through pre-season, only for his momentum to be checked by what the club considers a minor issue.
De Zerbi explained on Friday: “He felt pain in his hamstring two days ago. Nothing important, but we don’t take risk with him and especially in this moment.”
Spurs expect him back soon, and his energy in midfield cannot return quickly enough.
Potential return date: Newcastle (H), August 29, 2026
Dejan Kulusevski
Dejan Kulusevski’s wait has been the longest of all.
It is approaching 18 months since the Sweden forward last played for Spurs. A serious knee injury has kept him out, and although he is now back on the training pitch, he is still working individually rather than with the main group.
De Zerbi has made a point of speaking about the human side of Kulusevski’s ordeal.
“He's working, not with the group but with the individual coach,” the Spurs boss said. “I'm observing him a lot, because first of all, he suffers too much, and as a human situation, it's been tough for him, and every one of us we are close with him for this period.
“Then he's a different player, he's a special player, if he's fit and he's available, he's a different player, like Xavi Simons.”
There is no fixed date for his return, but the club still expect him back in the first half of the season. If that happens, it could feel like a new signing.
Potential return date: Unknown
Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons was at Brentford, but only in the stands.
The Dutch star is facing a far longer road back after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of last season. The diagnosis ruled him out for around nine months, and Spurs do not expect him to feature again this calendar year.
For now, his role is limited to support and presence around the group.
Potential return date: Early 2027
Wilson Odobert
Wilson Odobert’s story is similar, and slightly ahead on the timeline.
He suffered the same ACL injury a few months before Xavi Simons and is targeting a return before the end of 2026. Spurs will not rush him. They cannot afford another setback in a department already ravaged by long-term absences.
Potential return date: Late 2026
For De Zerbi, the picture is clear. The squad he imagined in pre-season has barely been seen. If even two or three of these names are back in the XI by the time Newcastle arrive, Tottenham’s season might finally start to look like the one the club thought it had paid for.
