Tottenham handed new injury boost as key star plays in behind-closed-doors game | OneFootball

Thomas Frank’s squad should be bolstered for Aston Villa clash after Watford meeting during international break

All smiles: Thomas Frank should see his Tottenham options strengthened for the visit of Aston Villa next weekend

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Randal Kolo Muani is nearing a return from injury after he featured in a behind-closed-doors match for Tottenham on Friday.

The Frenchman joined Spurs on loan from Paris Saint-Germain on Deadline Day but is yet to start for the club.

He has been on the sidelines with a dead leg suffered in training, though has now recovered and is building his fitness.

With Kolo Muani not involved with France on international duty, he has been one of the few first-team players training at Hotspur Way this week.

Spurs hosted Watford in a friendly on Friday and Kolo Muani played 45 minutes of that match.

The 26-year-old now has another week of training before Spurs return to Premier League action at home to Aston Villa, when he will hope to be in the squad.

Kolo Muani made his debut off the bench against Villarreal last month in the Champions League, but that remains his only appearance in a Spurs shirt.

The forward collided in training with Pape Matar Sarr and picked up a dead leg that kept him on the sidelines for longer than expected.

Slow start: Randal Kolo Muani has made just one appearance for Tottenham since joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain

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He has missed Spurs' last five matches, but head coach Thomas Frank confirmed last week that Kolo Muani was making progress in his recovery and the challenge was now building his fitness.

"It was just a dead leg that was just bleeding too much, so very simple," Frank said.

"That's sorted now, so now we just need to get him up to pace. It was no muscle, nothing. Just a contact unfortunately and then bleeding."