Tottenham’s forgotten man Dejan Kulusevski is finally ready to return to football after more than 500 days on the sidelines.
The Swede suffered a knee injury against Crystal Palace in May 2025, which put him out of the Europa League final against Manchester United – a game he had to watch on crutches.
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Kulusevski thus missed the entire 2026/27 season, where Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League and salvaged their place on the final day.
But after almost 18 months away from the pitch, the nightmare finally seems to be over.
“Gave him a big smile”
Kulusevski returned to training at the start of September, and now he is relevant for the bench when Spurs host newly promoted Coventry City on Monday.
The medical apparatus has given the green light for the Swede to sit on the bench – something that pleased him greatly when manager Roberto De Zerbi delivered the good news.
“Yes, he will be on the bench. The medical apparatus has given the go-ahead. It’s probably the best news since the Everton game,” De Zerbi said at the press conference.
“He has suffered a lot. I told him yesterday, and he got a big smile on his face.
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Kulusevski had previously stated that he would “bet on himself” to play for Sweden at the 2026 World Cup, but did not win the race against the clock.
He first underwent an operation on his kneecap, before he had to undergo another minor operation. The injury turned out to be complex, and Sweden’s national team doctor Jonas Werner explained why it took so long:
“It’s been a long story with Dejan. He’s done everything he can to get ready, but when it came to the decision, he wasn’t. The reason is that he hasn’t played football for a year, but even the medical assessments this spring pointed in the direction that he wouldn’t be ready.
“Cartilage injuries, as in Dejan’s case, are difficult. They are difficult to treat. In addition, he has it in a place that gets a lot of strain. The injury has simply not healed enough to withstand that strain.
Werner still had high hopes that Kulusevski would play again, and the club referred to the news on their website as “the news we have been waiting for”.
Could be back in the national team squad
The news is a huge boost for Graham Potter, who recently said that Kulusevski was “very close” to a return – calling the winger “incredibly important” and “a world-class player”.
If the comeback goes as planned, he could be available for the international break in November.
Kulusevski joined Spurs on loan in 2022 before the transfer was made permanent. Since then, he has made 146 appearances in all competitions.
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