Tottenham Hotspur have plenty of players still unavailable due to injuries.
The Evening Standard reports that Tottenham slipped from a promising week into another frustrating low after defeat to Nottingham Forest, and the injury list still shows no sign of shrinking, which continues to affect the mood around the club.
First, Tottenham did at least take one small positive last week, because Randal Kolo Muani shook off a fitness worry and played against Slavia Prague and Forest, but beyond that brief lift, little else changed, and absences continued to dictate team selection and the flow of games. As a result, Thomas Frank still continues to balance minutes, cover, and fatigue while waiting for better news that has yet to arrive.
Meanwhile, Destiny Udogie’s situation sets a clear marker on the calendar, since the left-back will miss the rest of the year after he suffered a hamstring issue late in the Newcastle game.
Initially, staff spoke of a short spell out, but follow-up checks pushed his return back to January, which leaves Spurs without one of their most energetic wide defenders during a demanding run. Because of that, rotation options narrow, and the balance on the left side stays fragile.
Dominic Solanke’s return date is still not certain
In contrast, Dominic Solanke’s return feels harder to pin down, even though his recovery has moved forward in recent weeks. The striker now trains alone on grass after ankle surgery, yet the long wait since August still draws attention, despite consistent reassurance that things are moving in the right direction.
Solanke’s own social media suggested confidence, although Frank quickly played that down by saying full team training marks the real milestone, and until then, patience remains key.
Elsewhere, Radu Dragusin moves closer after a long knee lay-off, because he already logged minutes in closed-door matches, slowly rebuilding sharpness. He spoke openly about how good it felt to play again, and January now appears realistic, which should ease worries around defensive depth.
Similarly, Dejan Kulusevski continues to make progress after a patella problem ended his last campaign. He returned to grass work during the international break, and staff believe a return in the new year remains possible, even though they plan to stay careful.
At the same time, Kota Takai and Yves Bissouma remain hard to place on any clear timeline, since both continue recovery without firm dates, while James Maddison faces the longest road back after ACL surgery, with the club looking at summer 2026 as the likely target.
Overall, Spurs still wait for momentum away from the pitch because setbacks continue to linger, timelines continue to drag on, and missing players continue to dictate results more than those ready to step in.