We don’t have a Tottenham Hotspur match to preview this weekend, due to the international break, but we do have a fitness/injury/availability situation to assess. The North London side are sitting fourth in the table, this international period, with a London derby against West Ham the next match on the docket (Sept 13). So with that in mind, let’s get you up to speed on Dominic Solanke, Radu Dragusin, Yves Bissouma and much much more!
Dominic Solanke
The forward has been battling a nagging knock. Manager Thomas Frank said the following on Saturday: “He’s got a minor issue with his ankle, which has been grumbling a bit, also in pre-season. It is just too much for this game.
“Now we have the international break, so hopefully he can be back after that.”
So he’ll be passed fit next week.
Radu Dragusin
Thomas Frank provided the following update at his weekly news conference on Friday:
“Dragusin is on the way back, and he’s been running for a while. I think he should join the team in a week’s time, 10 days’ time. But of course, it is an ACL. I’m always a little bit more, not worried, but just aware that it takes time. It’s not enough to have a six-week pre-season. You need to take a little bit more time, but it’s positive and some surprise and come back quicker.”
We’ll see where we’re at around the time of the October international break.
Yves Bissouma
The midfielder is battling an unspecified but also unserious issue.
“He’s out for the next game,” Frank said on Friday. “I don’t have a specific timeline for him, but I don’t think it will be that long.”
Dejan Kulusevski
Like Dragusin, he’s also a longer term knee injury absentee. His timeline for return is unknown at this time, but we do know it’s going to be awhile.
We’ll see where we’re at around the time of the November international break.
James Maddison
A ruptured ACL means the midfield maestro is out until sometime in 2026. A key player for Spurs, we’ll see after the New Year, what a Maddison return timeline might look like.
Kota Takai
Out since late summer with Plantar Fasciitis, this transfer window addition’s return date is unknown at this time.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter