Thomas Frank has shared an encouraging update on several Tottenham Hotspur players as the club continues to battle through a busy and demanding schedule.
The Danish coach confirmed that Cristian Romero is making positive strides in his recovery from injury, while Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke are also progressing well on their respective rehabilitation paths.
However, both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski remain unavailable, leaving Frank with several key absences as his side prepares to face Everton.
Romero’s situation had caused some concern among supporters after he was withdrawn from the warm-up ahead of the Aston Villa clash due to an adductor injury.
The Argentina international, who has been one of Tottenham’s most reliable defenders this season, also missed the midweek trip to Monaco in the Champions League.
Despite these setbacks, Frank provided a more optimistic tone when discussing his captain’s condition, revealing that the centre-back has now returned to light training.
Speaking to the media before the Everton match, Frank said, “Yes, Cuti just walked out on the grass running with some of the performance guys, so it’s positive.
He’s progressing, there’s no time frame yet, but I don’t expect it to be a long one.” His comments suggest that while Romero may not be ready for immediate selection, a return to action could be on the horizon if his recovery continues without complications.
Meanwhile, full-back Destiny Udogie remains sidelined after sustaining a knee injury during international duty.
The Italian defender, who has been a bright spark in Tottenham’s defence with his pace and energy down the left flank, was ruled out of the Villa match and has yet to rejoin full training.
Despite that, Frank remains confident that his recovery is moving in the right direction. “Destiny is not on the grass yet, but still progressing, so again, not a longer one,” the coach explained, maintaining a calm and optimistic outlook.
Another positive development comes from striker Dominic Solanke, who underwent ankle surgery back in September. The forward has been working hard behind the scenes to regain full fitness, and Frank confirmed that he is now training individually on the pitch.
“With Dominic, it’s positive,” said Frank. “He’s taking steps in the right direction every day, was on the grass again today on his own, and now has a sustainable amount of pitch sessions behind him. It’s progressing forward.”
These updates come at a time when Tottenham are still dealing with the longer-term absences of key creative players James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
Both have been integral to the team’s attacking play, providing goals, assists, and creativity in the final third. Their continued absence has forced Frank to rotate his options and experiment with different attacking combinations, something he admits is a challenge but also an opportunity for others to step up.
“Every head coach wants all the players fit,” Frank admitted. “Of course, when that happens, you start worrying about having too big a squad and disappointing players, but I’d rather have that problem. It’s my job to put the best possible team on the pitch with the players available and make it work.
Players like Maddison and Kulusevski are proven in this club for goals and assists, so yes, they’d be lovely to have right now, but we have very talented players who are growing.”
Frank went on to highlight the performances of some of the younger members of the squad, suggesting that they are beginning to find their rhythm at the top level.
“Wilson, Xavi, and Mo have been very good for us, and I think Richie had a good start to the season,” he said. “He’s still working to get fully up to pace, but the reality is that we’re working hard to get the front four flowing.
It will improve bit by bit. We’ve already had some very good games and strong spells where we’ve looked excellent, so we’ll keep building on that.”
Tottenham’s recent performances have shown flashes of quality, even amid their inconsistency. With Romero, Udogie, and Solanke edging closer to full fitness, there’s hope that the squad will soon be in better shape heading into a crucial stretch of the season.
The return of Maddison and Kulusevski in the near future would provide an additional lift, giving Frank the attacking options and creativity his side has sometimes lacked in recent weeks.
For now, Frank is focused on managing the resources he has available and ensuring that every player returning from injury does so in the best possible condition.
His calm and composed approach, combined with Tottenham’s gradual improvements on the pitch, offers reassurance to fans that the club is moving in the right direction.
