Kulusevski's Journey Back: A Turning Point for Tottenham
Tottenham’s long wait is almost over.
Dejan Kulusevski, sidelined for 19 punishing months by a serious right patella injury, is finally back in full training and edging towards a competitive return that could reshape Spurs’ season.
Kulusevski’s long road back
The Sweden international has not played a competitive minute since the end of the 2024/25 campaign. His knee problem did more than just halt momentum; it wiped out an entire year of his career and robbed him of a place at the summer World Cup.
Rehabilitation has been slow and unforgiving. An initial attempt to step up in August brought a minor setback and another pause. Now, at 26, he has rejoined full sessions with the senior squad, a presence that instantly lifts a dressing room still hunting its first league win and even its first league goal of the season.
Saturday’s clash with Aston Villa will come too soon. Tottenham will not risk him on the matchday squad just yet. Inside the club, October or November is being circled as the realistic window for a competitive comeback.
Roberto De Zerbi, speaking ahead of the Villa game, made it clear how carefully Spurs intend to handle him.
“We have to manage Deki in the best way we can, with the medical staff, physical staff, but it’s a great thing for us,” the Tottenham head coach said. “He’s a good player, he’s a good guy and he deserves to play again.”
Before the injury, Kulusevski was the heartbeat of a turbulent 2024/25 season, widely viewed as Spurs’ standout performer in a campaign that lurched from crisis to crisis. His absence was felt across the entire following year. His return changes the mood instantly.
Maddison fighting his way back
Kulusevski is not the only creative force trying to drag his body back to full sharpness.
James Maddison has been locked in his own battle with injuries. An ACL tear last August demanded a huge effort just to make it back for the end of last season, when he played a key role in helping Spurs avoid relegation. The new campaign has brought more frustration, with shoulder issues interrupting his rhythm again.
De Zerbi knows exactly what he has in the 29-year-old and how rare those qualities are in this squad.
“Listen, James is working with the team in the last 10, 15 days. Maybe less than 15 days and even if he’s a technical player, he needs to be fit, to stay in a good condition,” the Italian said, stressing that talent alone is not enough without a solid physical base.
Maddison is, at least, in the conversation for the weekend. So are Pedro Porro and Sandro Tonali, both of whom missed the midweek cup defeat to Liverpool but have now been pushed back towards contention for the Villa match.
Spurs under strain
Tottenham’s situation in the league is stark. Four games, no wins, no goals. A new regime already feeling the heat.
The performances have not yet translated into points, but De Zerbi has been adamant that panic is the enemy. He wants composure, not chaos, and believes that once the first win comes, the tension will ease.
The potential returns of Porro and Tonali give him more options in a squad that has looked stretched and short of ideas. The sight of Kulusevski back in full training offers something different: belief.
He will not be there to face Villa. But his shadow will be. And once he steps back onto a Premier League pitch, the question will be simple: can his comeback ignite a season that has yet to catch fire?
