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Ange Postecoglou will have to make do without forward Dejan Kulusevski for upcoming fixtures.
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Tottenham Hotspur are enduring a season cursed by injuries and the blows keep coming for Ange Postecoglou with news that the ever influential Dejan Kulusevski will require a period on the sidelines with a foot injury.
The Daily Mail have reported that the Sweden international is ‘undergoing tests to determine the extent of the issue’ but is certainly ruled out of Thursday night’s Europa League meeting with AZ Alkmaar and this weekend’s Premier League meeting with AFC Bournemouth.
Postecoglou is expected to confirm the extent of the injury tomorrow but, at this stage, it seems ambitious to think that Kulusevski will play before the upcoming international break. Tottenham Hotspur have a second leg fixture against AZ Alkmaar next week and then make the short trip to Fulham on March 26 before the league pauses.
Tottenham Hotspur handed Kulusevski injury blow
Kulusevski would normally be expected to represent Sweden during the international break. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side play Luxembourg and Northern Ireland later this month.
Tottenham Hotspur hope that first choice centre-backs Micky Van de Ven and Cristian Romero are close to returns but Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies are all currently dealing with injury niggles.
Kulusevski has been a reliable attacking output for the North London outfit this term. The 24-year-old has racked up 42 appearances already across all competitions, his fitness key for Postecoglou. The versatile midfielder has 10 goals and 10 assists in those outings.
The wide man has earned the praise of pundits this season. Speaking after the 2-2 draw with AS Roma in the Europa League, former Chelsea man Joe Cole told TNT Sports: "He's a magician. He's such a good player. Tottenham are going to score so many goals with those two [Kulusevski and Johnson] combining this season.
The reason he's getting the nod over Maddison [is] off the ball, he's very good. He sets the press, but I think you can get both of them in the side.
"Players who can handle the ball – technicians, technicians, technicians – especially the way Ange Postecoglou plays, those players can be so exciting."
Former Liverpool and Spurs man Peter Crouch added: "He's in that deeper position, and it might frustrate Maddison because you probably can't play both of them there. But in this central area, he's got more of a free role, and he can run and get behind people. He's so good in these areas.
"He's not blessed with tremendous pace, but the way he moves, he can run all day, the way he creates and gets out of tight positions, and his intelligence is wonderful to watch. He's playing with so much confidence."
Ange Postecoglou frustrated by injury crisis
Keeping players fit has been a real problem for Tottenham Hotspur this season with first team stars deployed out of position and youth players called up to fill in. For Postecoglou, there’s no doubting that has contributed to his side’s underwhelming season.
Speaking in January, he said: "It's just injuries. I mean you can walk outside and say, 'Jeez it's really bright', and say to yourself maybe it's not the sun. But it is the sun, mate, we've just got injuries.
"Every decision that is made is from me. I am responsible for this. If you want a head on a stick, take mine, but I am absolutely 100% confident that we are in a better place as a football club today than when I started."
In other news, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal have learnt of a £66 million release clause in a target’s contract.