In a season that has often felt like a relentless tide of misfortune, the sight of Dejan Kulusevski back on his feet is exactly the tonic the Tottenham Hotspur faithful needed.
The Swedish international has been a ghost at the training ground for far too long, sidelined by a knee injury that has proven much more stubborn than anyone first anticipated. However, a recent burst of activity on social media has provided a glimmer of hope that the influential winger might finally be turning a corner in his recovery.
Kulusevski’s journey back to fitness has been anything but straightforward. The trouble began toward the tail end of last season with what was initially dismissed as a minor knock. Former manager Ange Postecoglou had hoped it was a temporary setback, but the reality was far more severe.
The player eventually had to go under the knife to repair a damaged patella, a procedure that effectively wiped out his entire current campaign. Since that surgery, the road has been paved with caution and medical setbacks.
The complexity of a patella injury cannot be overstated. It is a sensitive area of the knee where rushing back can lead to permanent damage. The medical staff has been adamant that he must be completely pain-free before he even considers returning to competitive football.
To help move things along, Kulusevski recently received a targeted injection designed to settle the lingering inflammation. The hope was that this would allow him to step back onto the grass within a month, but even then, the club’s former management remained tight-lipped about a specific return date.
The skepticism regarding his return was only fueled when his name was omitted from Tottenham’s updated Champions League squad for the knockout rounds. Usually, when a player is left out of a European roster, it is a clear sign that the club doesn’t expect them to be match-fit for the foreseeable future. However, Kulusevski’s latest update suggests he might be out to prove the doubters wrong.
In a video shared with his millions of followers, the Swede was seen working out at the club’s high-tech training center, Hotspur Way. He wasn’t just doing light movements; he was seen performing intensive, single-legged squats using his injured right leg.
For anyone who has tracked a recovery from major surgery, this is a significant milestone. It shows that the knee is finally stable enough to bear his full weight under pressure, a prerequisite for the explosive twisting and turning required of a Premier League winger.
While the medical team hasn’t stamped a date on the calendar yet, the responsibility of managing his integration will likely fall to the incoming manager. For whoever takes the hot seat, having a player of Kulusevski’s caliber available for the final stretch of the season would be a massive luxury. His ability to hold the ball and create chances from nothing is exactly what has been missing during the club’s recent slump.
To say that Tottenham has had a difficult run with injuries would be a massive understatement. The club’s medical room has looked like a revolving door of key starters. The forward line has been particularly decimated. Wilson Odobert recently suffered a devastating ACL tear, a blow that mirrored Kulusevski’s own long-term struggle.
Adding to the headache, high-profile names like Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, and Richarlison have all spent significant time on the treatment table. Even summer arrival Dominic Solanke has seen his impact blunted by a persistent ankle problem that refuses to clear up.
In this context, Kulusevski isn’t just another player; he represents a potential turning point. If he can return for the final few games, it could provide the team with the psychological boost they need to secure a respectable finish in what has been a traumatic year. The video of him in the gym is a small victory, but in a season like this, the fans will take any win they can get.
| Player | Injury Type | Estimated Return |
| Dejan Kulusevski | Patella (Knee) | Late Spring |
| Wilson Odobert | ACL | Next Season |
| James Maddison | Undisclosed | Short-term |
| Dominic Solanke | Ankle | Day-to-day |
The coming weeks will be crucial. If the Swede can transition from the gym to the grass without feeling that dreaded sharp pain in his knee, the “return to play” protocols will accelerate. For now, the video remains a teasing promise of what is to come a reminder that despite the crisis, one of the club’s most creative sparks is fighting his way back to the light.
