Dejan Kulusevski returns to Tottenham squad after 526 days
After a long injury layoff, Dejan Kulusevski is back in the Tottenham matchday squad for the clash against Coventry.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Frenchyfoot
Dejan Kulusevski is set to make his return to competitive football. The Swedish midfielder has been named in the Tottenham squad for the first time in 526 days ahead of their Premier League fixture against Coventry.
The 26-year-old had been sidelined since the end of the 2024/25 season with a severe patellar injury that required a follow-up operation in March. This long recovery period meant he missed the club's 2025 Europa League final triumph, the entire previous season, and the World Cup. He spent the last week at a training camp in Marbella to regain his fitness.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that Kulusevski will start on the bench.
Dejan has suffered too much during this time, and he deserves to feel those emotions on the pitch again. Roberto De Zerbi
His return comes at a critical time for Spurs, who currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table. The team is winless in their opening six matches and faces a mounting injury list, with Savio, Lucas Bergvall, and Rodrigo Bentancur all ruled out for the upcoming match.
Meanwhile, the situation regarding Richarlison remains a talking point. The forward, who was not included in the primary 25-man Premier League squad, publicly voiced his frustration over his status. De Zerbi declined to comment on the matter, referring it to the club's leadership instead.