Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has provided a positive injury update on the fitness of Richarlison, Cristian Romero, Dominic Solanke and Micky van de Ven, stating a return could be on the cards before the UEFA Europa League clash.
Tottenham Hotspur have hit their stride in recent weeks, securing three consecutive victories in the Premier League.
This upturn in form has coincided with the return of key players such as Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, and Guglielmo Vicario, whose presence has strengthened Ange Postecoglou’s side.
However, Spurs are still not at full strength, with their two first-choice centre-backs and two key forwards still sidelined. Of course, it was revealed yesterday that Cristian Romero trained outside with the Tottenham team.
Nevertheless, the absence of the Argentine and Micky van de Ven at the back, alongside the attacking duo of Richarlison and Dominic Solanke, has left gaps in the Spurs squad.
Ange Postecoglou shares positive news on Richarlison, van de Ven, Solanke and Romero
With the UEFA Europa League knockout stages approaching, Postecoglou will be hoping to have his squad as close to full fitness as possible before the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.
The Australian has now provided a promising update on the quartet’s recovery timeline, suggesting a return is imminent.
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Speaking to the club’s official website, the Spurs boss offered encouraging news on the fitness of Richarlison, Romero, Solanke, and Van de Ven.
The manager confirmed that all four Tottenham players are making good progress in their rehabilitation and could be back in contention within days.
“Richarlison, Cristian Romero, Dominic Solanke, and Micky van de Ven are all tracking really well with an eye on our UEFA Europa League Round of 16, first leg at AZ Alkmaar (6 March) and Premier League clash against Bournemouth (9 March),” Postecoglou stated.
“They are all similar times, hopefully in the next seven to ten days,” he added. “A couple of them are already training, but over that period, we will start incorporating them back into matchday squads.”
When asked whether the target was for the quartet to be available against AZ Alkmaar, Postecoglou remained optimistic but cautious. “Yes, potentially. I am not sure if they will participate in that, but the idea is that at least a couple of them should be back in training and available for that game.
“Obviously, we have to back that up on the weekend against Bournemouth, so with two games coming up, I am hoping if we can get a couple more back, it means again we can tackle those two games with a strong squad.”
Europa League timing could work in Tottenham’s favour
Tottenham’s Europa League tie comes eight days after their crucial midweek Premier League clash against Manchester City.
Fortunately, with Spurs already out of the FA Cup, Postecoglou’s side will have a brief but valuable window without fixtures.
This break should provide injured players with additional time to regain match fitness, increasing the chances of their involvement against AZ Alkmaar.