When Dejan Kulusevski is now expected to return for Tottenham in latest injury update

Tottenham Hotspur fans eagerly awaiting the return of Dejan Kulusevski will need to arm themselves with a little more patience, according to the latest information surrounding the midfielder’s recovery.

The Swedish international, a key creative force for the team, has been sidelined since the beginning of May after undergoing surgery on his knee.

This unfortunate timing means that the club’s new head coach, Thomas Frank, has yet to have the opportunity to work with him directly on the training pitch, leaving a noticeable gap in the squad’s attacking options.

The most recent update on his condition comes from respected football journalist Alasdair Gold, who covers the club closely.

The news is not what supporters were hoping for. Gold indicates, based on information from his sources within the club, that the road to recovery is a long one.

It is expected to take several more months before Kulusevski is ready to pull on the shirt and compete in a Premier League match again.

The current medical timeline suggests a return to action is most likely scheduled for some time towards the end of this year.

This careful and measured rehabilitation process is standard for the significant procedure he underwent on his patella.

Rushing back from such a surgery carries great risk, so the club’s medical staff is undoubtedly prioritizing a full and complete recovery over a speedy return.

Barring any miraculous, unexpected acceleration in his healing process, the realistic expectation is that fans will not see him back on the field until December.

This extended absence presents a clear challenge for manager Thomas Frank and the team’s ambitions for the first half of the season.

The situation is made more pressing by the fact that another crucial creative player, James Maddison, is also currently out of action while he recovers from an ACL injury.

Losing one playmaker is a test for any squad; losing two of them could easily be described as a crisis. It suddenly leaves a major void in the heart of the team’s attacking midfield, a area that is so vital for creating chances and scoring goals.

Fortunately, the club’s management foresaw the need for depth and acted decisively in the transfer market. The summer signing of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig now looks like an absolutely essential piece of business.

The young Dutchman arrives with a burgeoning reputation for flair, technical skill, and an eye for a decisive pass, all the qualities needed to fill the creative void.

Manager Thomas Frank has already expressed his excitement about working with Simons, publicly stating that the 22-year-old will bring exactly the kind of creativity and attacking verve the team needs.

While Frank noted that Simons is versatile enough to operate from the left wing, the current injury situation all but guarantees he will be deployed primarily as the central number ten for the foreseeable future.

This will place a great deal of responsibility on his shoulders, but it also offers a fantastic opportunity for him to immediately become a focal point of the team’s attack.

For now, the focus for Kulusevski is a slow and steady rehabilitation. For the team, the immediate challenge is to integrate Xavi Simons as quickly and smoothly as possible, hoping he can hit the ground running and provide the inventive spark the squad will desperately need until its established stars are fit and ready to return.