“It’s going very well” – Dejan Kulusevski closing in on Tottenham Hotspur return | OneFootball

Tottenham Injury News: Maddison Boost, Kulusevski Setback and Latest Return Dates

Tottenham have their first Premier League point of the season, but the bigger issue is obvious. Three matches in, no wins, no goals and too many key attackers still working their way back.

The 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest stopped the immediate bleeding after defeats to Brentford and Newcastle, yet Roberto De Zerbi still has a squad short on cutting edge. Savio and Destiny Udogie both continued their managed returns at the City Ground and both were taken off around the hour mark. There is no fresh injury concern there, which matters because Spurs do not need another problem.

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James Maddison return offers Tottenham hope

James Maddison remains out after injuring his shoulder against Brentford on the opening day. He had already been eased back into action after last year’s ACL injury, and Tottenham have clearly been careful with him.

He missed the trip to Forest, but there is now encouragement around his recovery after returning to team training. For a side lacking control and invention between the lines, that matters. Spurs need a player who can slow the game down, pick a pass and connect midfield to attack. Right now, they do not have enough of that.

The current target is a return against Everton at home on September 12, 2026.

Dejan Kulusevski setback slows recovery

Dejan Kulusevski is back on the training pitch, though nobody should expect him to be rushed. He is returning from a serious patella injury that has kept him out for nearly 18 months, and Tottenham are treating it accordingly.

De Zerbi gave the clearest update so far, saying: “Kulusevski started [training] with us at the beginning of the week, and then the last two days, a small, small problem, stopped [him from training].” He added: “But I think he’s in a good way. It’s going very well. I already said the medical staff is very high level.

“We can be positive with him. I’m looking forward to having Deki in the squad.”

That is cautiously optimistic, which is probably the right tone. There is no fixed return date yet.

Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert face longer waits

Xavi Simons is out for the rest of the year after suffering an ACL tear against Wolves in April last season. Tottenham have missed him badly. There is very little guile in the No 10 areas at the moment, and his absence has left a gap that has not been filled.

The expectation is that Simons returns in early 2027.

Wilson Odobert is on a similar path after his own ACL injury last term, though he is further ahead in recovery than Simons. That gives Spurs some hope of seeing him back before the end of 2026.

For now, Tottenham’s problem is simple. They need goals, and several of the players best equipped to provide them are still unavailable.