De Zerbi confirms Kulusevski nears Spurs return after 500-day injury absence

Dejan Kulusevski is edging closer to a Tottenham return after more than 500 days out, with manager Roberto De Zerbi confirming the Swedish attacker will travel with the squad to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday — though only in a support capacity alongside injured defender Pedro Porro.

Kulusevski has been sidelined since suffering a serious patella injury in his right knee at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, enduring multiple setbacks along the way. The 25-year-old stepped up his recovery during the international break, featuring in an 11-v-11 match against Spurs’ academy side, and De Zerbi indicated a competitive return is now within sight.

“He is working well, tomorrow he comes with us, also Porro — for support. I want all players tomorrow, tonight and tomorrow,” De Zerbi said. “I think he is an example for everyone, Dejan Kulusevski. Forget the player, but the example of how he reacted to the injury, the reaction to being unlucky, the character he showed this time, was an example, a reference for everyone.”

When pressed on a specific return date, De Zerbi was cautious. “I don’t know, it’s not just my responsibility. We are working together with the medical staff. They are working very well with him, they have done special work. We have to analyse week by week.”

James Maddison is also available for the trip to Old Trafford, though the playmaker has endured further fitness disruption. Maddison has not started for Tottenham in 17 months following back-to-back knee injuries and missed several training sessions in the days leading up to the fixture.

“He is available but he lost three to four days in the beginning of this week and the end of the last week,” De Zerbi said. “Tomorrow he can play, but the Premier League is tough. Physically it is a very strong competition and you have to be in the right physical condition to compete. The way is to complete three, four, five weeks in a row without problems, and then he is a normal player.”

De Zerbi also confirmed that defenders Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke are both available despite picking up fitness concerns while on international duty with the Netherlands.

The Italian coach made no secret of his eagerness for the United fixture, revealing he has had the game circled since Spurs’ 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa on 19 September. “I’ve been waiting for this game for three weeks,” he said. “I wanted to play the day after.”