Dejan Kulusevski has returned to Tottenham Hotspur's matchday squad after 526 days out, giving the club a timely lift as they prepare for a busy run of fixtures. It is a significant step for a player whose absence has stretched over more than 17 months, and it changes the picture for Tottenham at exactly the point they need more options.
The return comes as Tottenham continue to manage a separate set of injury concerns. On Sunday morning at Hotspur Way, Roberto De Zerbi set out the latest updates on Savio, Lucas Bergvall and Pedro Porro, with the club still dealing with absences and possible returns in the weeks ahead.
Kulusevski's return changes the mood
For Tottenham, the most obvious headline is Kulusevski's comeback. A 526-day wait is a long time for any player to be unavailable, and his return to the squad at least gives the staff another trusted option as they move into a period where selection decisions will matter.
That does not mean Tottenham will rush him. But it does mean the conversation shifts from whether he can return to how quickly he can be reintroduced, and whether he can begin to influence a side that needs reliable performances in the coming weeks. If you want the wider recovery picture, our earlier note on Dejan Kulusevski posts training update as Tottenham manage recovery before Brentford game showed how carefully this comeback has been handled.
More injury questions around the squad
De Zerbi also addressed Savio, saying: "Savio, unfortunately, on Tuesday, before we left for Marbella, he felt a he felt a muscular problem and we lost him for some weeks, unfortunately." He added: "I don't know, but some weeks for sure."
That leaves Tottenham waiting on a separate issue, with no firm return date beyond the suggestion that he will be out for a while. It is another reminder that the squad is still being asked to absorb setbacks while the staff balance short-term needs with longer-term availability.
Lucas Bergvall is in a different position, but still not completely clear of concern. De Zerbi said: "Lucas had a problem at the beginning of the game in Manchester, the first chance we created with Solanke, when he regained the ball, his knee… he felt pain. He finished the game, but the day after, (last) Sunday, he came to the training ground to our medical staff. I think two weeks."
That update suggests Bergvall could be back within two weeks, which is at least a more positive timeline than the one around Savio. And there is also some encouragement around Pedro Porro, with De Zerbi saying: "I think he's coming - maybe in Chelsea he can play," pointing to next week's derby against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as a possible target.
What Tottenham can take from the update
So the immediate answer is simple: Kulusevski is back in the matchday squad after 526 days, and that alone matters. Around him, Tottenham are still dealing with a patchwork of injury news, but there are at least signs that the picture could improve in stages rather than all at once.
With Monday evening's meeting against Coventry City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the schedule at 8pm UK, the club now have a clearer sense of who is available, who is out for some weeks, and who may yet be involved soon. It is not a full recovery story, but it is a step in the right direction for Tottenham and for Kulusevski in particular.
For more on the comeback comparison, our previous piece on Danny Murphy Uses Fernando Torres in Kulusevski Return Warning and the benchmark discussion in Ruud Van Nistelrooy sets comeback benchmark for Dejan Kulusevski captured the scale of the challenge he now faces.
