Ex-scout gives intriguing verdict on Dejan Kulusevki’s future at Tottenham after he returns from knee surgery
Tottenham Hotspur invested heavily in the summer to bolster their squad, hoping new boss Thomas Frank changes their fortunes in the Premier League after disastrous last season.
The north Londoners ended their long wait for a trophy by winning the Europa League, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final. This victory was against the odds and gave the fans a night to savour in Bilbao. However, when it came to the Premier League, Spurs royally struggled throughout the campaign and finished just above the three relegated clubs.
Ange Postecoglou paid the price for the torrid league season as he was sacked in early June. It was Tottenham’s worst-ever Premier League campaign, but there were some bright spots to emerge. One of them was Dejan Kulusevski.
Ex-scout predicts make-or-break season for Dejan Kulusevski
Kulusevski was Spurs’ standout player in the first half of 2024/25, thanks to Ange using him as a No.8 from a wide position. This change saw him being transformed as a player, and the Swede started putting in consistent displays in every game and producing quality numbers in the final third.
Unfortunately, the 25-year-old has been out of action since May with a knee problem. He underwent knee surgery to fix the problem, which kept him out of the Europa League final. As a result, Kulusevski has not been able to play any part under Thomas Frank so far. The attacking midfielder recently said that he’d be most likely return to action before the end of 2025, meaning he will miss a lot of action in the next two months.
To replace the injured creative duo of Kulusevski and James Maddison, Spurs added Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani to their ranks in the final stages of the summer window. While Maddison will miss the majority of the campaign with an ACL rupture, Kulusevski’s return from injury later this year could create more competition within the squad.
The Swedish international is likely to face a battle with Simons and Kudus to play in the final third, which has prompted ex-scout Bryan King to admit that Kulusevski’s future at the club could be under scrutiny. He feels that the 25-year-old needs to impress his gaffer immediately after returning from injury, or he could be placed on the chopping block.
“It certainly gives Frank a good option, although he has good cover in the attacking areas,” Bryan King exclusively told Tottenham News.
“Kulusevski has been a key player, but in two or three months when he’s fit, it will be Christmas. It’s going to be make or break for him, because it was a serious injury and he’s been out for a long time.
“He’s got to tread carefully as well, because he won’t want a setback now.
“If he does get himself fit, and proves that he’s fit, he’s either going to stay at the club or he could even be moved on in January.”
Kulusevski unlikely to leave Spurs
Kulusevski has been progressing with every season at Tottenham. The 2024/25 was his best season in a Spurs shirt in terms of productivity, as the Swede registering 10 goals and 11 assists in 50 appearances.
The fans know how important player he is to the club and will want Kulusevski to recover fully from his surgery. The same goes with Frank as the gaffer will be confident of helping him take his game to the next level. Thus, there is no way the north London wash hands on Kulusevski after he returns to action later this year.
