Tottenham injury crisis deepens as Richarlison blow compounds Kudus and Bergvall absences

Tottenham’s season is reaching a critical point, and their growing injury list is doing little to ease the pressure on Thomas Frank.

A 2-1 FA Cup defeat at home to Aston Villa extended Spurs’ winless run to four matches and further inflamed supporter frustration at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Tempers spilled over at full-time, reflecting a side struggling for momentum, confidence and fitness.

While the return of Dominic Solanke offered a rare positive note, Tottenham were dealt another major blow as yet another attacker limped off injured.

Here is the latest on Spurs’ injury situation and expected return dates.

Mohammed Kudus faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a quad tendon injury that is worse than initially feared.

The Ghana international was forced off early in the recent draw with Sunderland, clutching his left thigh after going down off the ball. He was replaced by Randal Kolo Muani.

Frank later confirmed the severity of the issue.

“Mohammed, unfortunately, is a bigger one to the tendon in the quad,” he said.
“That is one where we expect him back after the March international break.”

With Kudus sidelined, Spurs are currently without a single natural right winger in their senior squad.

Potential return date: April 2026

Destiny Udogie is edging closer to a return but was again absent for the Villa defeat.

The Italian has been out since December with a hamstring issue and has now missed eight consecutive matches, despite earlier indications that his recovery was progressing quicker than Solanke’s.

While Solanke returned off the bench, Udogie was not included in the matchday squad.

Potential return date: January 17 vs West Ham United (H)

Richarlison is Tottenham’s latest injury concern after hobbling off against Villa holding his hamstring.

The Brazilian has endured repeated muscle issues in recent seasons, and Frank voiced wider concerns about the congested fixture calendar following the setback.

“I think we have done a lot of things right to get him where he is now,” Frank said.
“But it’s not only about us. We played five games in 13 days, four in 10. That’s extremely demanding.”

There is currently no clarity on the severity of Richarlison’s injury.

Potential return date: Unknown

Teenage midfielder Lucas Bergvall missed the Villa match after picking up a knock in the 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth.

Frank confirmed the Swede would be assessed ahead of the FA Cup tie.

“Lucas is being assessed today,” he said. “We will know more later.”

Potential return date: January 17 vs West Ham (H)

Rodrigo Bentancur was another casualty from the Bournemouth defeat.

The Uruguayan was replaced late on by Archie Gray, with Frank later admitting the hamstring injury “looks like a bigger one”.

Potential return date: Unknown

Dejan Kulusevski is slowly progressing after a long absence due to a patella issue that has kept him out since April.

The Swede returned to grass work during the November international break, but Frank remains cautious.

“We know it is a complicated injury,” he said.
“The most important thing is removing the pain. We will know in three to four weeks if that has settled.”

Potential return date: February 2026

James Maddison is expected to miss the remainder of the season after suffering an ACL injury during pre-season.

The England international sustained the injury in a friendly against Newcastle United and has yet to feature this campaign.

Potential return date: Summer 2026

With league form stalling and squad depth stretched to breaking point, Tottenham’s short-term hopes may hinge on how quickly key players can return from injury.

Can Tottenham stabilise their season with this many key players sidelined?