Tottenham Hotspur’s impressive start to the season under Thomas Frank has come despite a long list of injuries to key players.
The team has lost only once all campaign, showing remarkable strength, structure, and belief. Their recent 2-1 victory over Leeds United was another example of their growing resilience and determination, even with several regular starters unavailable.
That victory came without Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, Kota Takai, James Maddison, Yves Bissouma, Randal Kolo Muani, and Radu Dragusin. It forced Frank to rely on his tactical flexibility and squad depth to deliver results.
Now, with the international break offering a brief pause in club football, there is hope that several of these players will return soon.
Dominic Solanke’s recovery remains one of the biggest concerns for Tottenham. The striker has been battling a recurring ankle problem since the summer.
His last appearance was in the 2-0 win over Manchester City on August 23. Although he made a short return to training, the pain returned, leading to a minor surgery.
Thomas Frank has not set a clear date for his comeback but indicated that further assessments will take place after the international break.
Spurs supporters will be eager for news, as Solanke’s sharp movement and finishing have been sorely missed.
Randal Kolo Muani’s situation is more positive. The French forward, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, has been sidelined with a persistent dead leg that ruled him out of the last five games.
He had started light training before the Leeds match and was left out of France’s squad for the international fixtures. This break should give him enough time to regain full fitness.
If everything goes according to plan, he could make his return against Aston Villa on October 19, giving Frank another dynamic attacking option.
Yves Bissouma, who has been dealing with both injury and disciplinary setbacks, has not featured for Tottenham since May. His recovery from a knee injury has been gradual.
Frank recently revealed that Bissouma had only begun running on grass and had yet to rejoin full training sessions. While his return is not imminent, the club remains hopeful he will be back before the end of the year.
Dejan Kulusevski is another long-term absentee. The Swedish winger underwent patella surgery before the Europa League final in May.
His absence has been deeply felt, as he was one of Tottenham’s most creative outlets last season. Frank, however, sounded optimistic in his recent comments, saying Kulusevski has a “good chance” of returning before the end of 2025.
If his recovery continues smoothly, Spurs fans might see him back in action around November or December.
New signing Kota Takai is yet to make his debut after joining from Kawasaki Frontale in June. The young Japanese defender suffered a plantar fascia injury shortly after his arrival but has now returned to full training.
If his recovery continues without any setbacks, he could finally feature for the team once club football resumes after the break.
Radu Dragusin is another player close to making his comeback. The Romanian defender has recovered from an ACL injury and is now training fully with the squad.
His return would provide much-needed depth to the defense, which has already shown significant improvement under Frank’s guidance. A return later this month looks likely if his fitness continues to progress.
Unfortunately, the outlook is less encouraging for James Maddison. The midfielder suffered a serious ACL injury during pre-season against Newcastle and is expected to be sidelined until the summer of 2026.
Maddison’s creativity and influence in midfield have been hard to replace, but his long-term health remains the priority.
Despite all these setbacks, Thomas Frank’s Tottenham side has continued to perform with determination and unity.
The international break comes at a perfect time for the squad to rest, recover, and regroup. With several key players expected to return soon, Spurs could look even stronger in the coming weeks.
Frank’s ability to keep the team competitive amid so many absences speaks volumes about his management and tactical clarity.
The squad’s depth and resilience have been crucial to maintaining momentum. As players like Solanke, Kolo Muani, and Dragusin edge closer to returning, Tottenham fans have every reason to stay optimistic about the season ahead.
