Dejan Kulusevski Return Gives Tottenham Timely Lift Ahead of Manchester United Clash

Tottenham need good news, and Dejan Kulusevski has finally provided some.

The Sweden international has moved another step closer to a long-awaited comeback after taking part in an 11-a-side training match at Hotspur Way. After 17 months out, more than 500 days on the sidelines, that matters. It does not guarantee an immediate return, but it confirms progress. For a player who has not featured for club or country since May 2025, that is a serious development.

Kulusevski’s absence has dragged on because this was never a straightforward injury. A complicated kneecap problem led to two separate surgeries across 10 months, and every stage since has required patience. He had already returned to first-team training once, only for that to be interrupted by a setback. That sort of stop-start recovery can break momentum quickly. Tottenham have no intention of forcing the issue now.

Kulusevski comeback reaches key stage

During the extended international break, Kulusevski increased his workload again. In the second week of that window he featured in an internal match, lining up for a side made up of first-team players against a mixed group from Tottenham’s Under-21s and Under-18s. The exact number of minutes is unclear, and so is his influence on the game. That part is secondary. The important detail is simpler, he got through match-like action.

That is the checkpoint that matters when a player is trying to rebuild rhythm, confidence and tolerance in the body. He is now working towards his first competitive appearance under Roberto De Zerbi, though no sensible club would rush to put a date on it.

Tottenham injuries still shape De Zerbi plans

Spurs are being cautious because they have learned the hard way. Their previous two seasons were wrecked by injury problems, and the damage was obvious in the table. Back-to-back 17th-place finishes and a relegation fight that went to the final day have forced a rethink. The medical and performance structure has changed, with Dan Lewindon leading a revamped department, and the approach now is clear, fewer gambles, tighter management.

There are fresh concerns too. Micky van de Ven has a finger issue, Jan Paul van Hecke is dealing with a foot problem and Pedro Porro pulled out of the Spain squad because of the hamstring injury he suffered in the 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa. Mykhailo Mudryk remains out with an ankle problem, while Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert continue their recoveries from anterior cruciate ligament injuries suffered last season.

Manchester United test arrives at bad time

All of this leaves Tottenham in a miserable position. They have spent more than £300 million in the summer and are still bottom of the Premier League. Five games, no wins, two points, two goals. That is the reality.

Next comes a trip to Old Trafford on Saturday evening, where Michael Carrick’s Manchester United have their own problems after winning only one of their first five league matches. For Tottenham, Kulusevski’s return is not a fix. It is simply a rare positive in a season already asking hard questions.