Dejan Kulusevski Injury Update: Spurs Return Expected North London 2026

Key Points

• Lengthy Absence: Swedish international Dejan Kulusevski has been sidelined for over 14 months following a severe knee injury sustained during Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League fixture in May 2025.
• World Cup Heartbreak: The 26-year-old midfielder missed the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he was anticipated to serve as the creative focal point for head coach Graham Potter and the Swedish national team.
• Encouraging Ball Work: Kulusevski has recently returned to individual pitch-based recovery exercises involving ball work, passing drills, and light shooting.
• Return Timeline: Media reports indicate that Tottenham expect the Swede to make his competitive return at some point during the first half of the forthcoming campaign.
• Media Attributions: Updates on his recovery trajectory have been provided by PA Sport correspondent George Sessions and Football.London’s Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold.

North London (North London News) July 22, 2026 –Dejan Kulusevski has edged closer to a return to competitive football after more than a year on the sidelines, having resumed individual ball work at Hotspur Way following a complex knee rehabilitation process.

The 26-year-old Swedish international midfielder has been out of action since suffering a serious right knee patella injury during Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League encounter against Crystal Palace in May 2025.

As reported by George Sessions of PA Sport, speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, Tottenham Hotspur anticipate that Kulusevski will feature in first-team action at some point during the first half of the season. Sessions stated:

“I think Tottenham will have Dejan Kulusevski at some point in the first half of the season.”

While no precise return date has been established by the club’s medical staff, the progress represents a significant step forward after multiple complications and surgical procedures delayed his original comeback timeline.

How has Dejan Kulusevski’s rehabilitation progressed in recent weeks?

Kulusevski’s physical testing and light training routines have recently shifted from indoor strength work to pitch drills.

As reported by Alasdair Gold of Football.London, Kulusevski shared video documentation of his ongoing recovery program on social media, displaying his movement during low-to-moderate intensity passing and striking exercises. Gold detailed that the Swede was seen controlling passes at varying heights, jogging, and executing curled shots into a full-sized net while using his right leg with greater freedom of movement.

Although these exercises remain classified as individual rehabilitation rather than full-contact team training, observers note that theSwede’s ability to exert force through the knee joint without adverse reaction is an encouraging metric within his rehabilitation pathway.

What impact did the injury have on Sweden’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign?

The extended layoff meant Kulusevski was unavailable for selection during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, presenting a notable tactical challenge for Sweden head coach Graham Potter.

As reported by media outlet Dawn via Reuters, Graham Potter announced Sweden’s World Cup squad without Kulusevski, confirming that the medical timeframe did not allow for his inclusion. Potter stated:

“A very, very difficult decision in terms of where he has been, what he’s done over the last year, where he’s at in terms of his rehab with four and a half weeks to go to that first game.”

Additionally, as reported by Sweden Herald, Potter highlighted Kulusevski’s importance to the national side, remarking:

“We can sit here and talk tactics and we can talk formations, but if you have world-class players in the team, your chances of winning games increase. And he is one of them. We just hope he comes back soon. The sooner he is back on the pitch, the better for Swedish football.”

What is the full background behind Dejan Kulusevski’s long-term injury development?

Kulusevski’s initial injury took place on May 11, 2025, during Tottenham’s Premier League match against Crystal Palace. The midfielder suffered damage to the patella and surrounding cartilage in his right knee following a challenge.

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What complications were encountered during his recovery?

Following initial surgical intervention, Kulusevski underwent a prolonged period of rest and physical therapy. However, as reported by Alasdair Gold of Football.London, the player experienced subsequent discomfort during increased workload phases in training, necessitating a secondary clean-up procedure to address persistent joint inflammation and cartilage recovery.

This secondary procedure effectively ruled him out for the remainder of the 2025–26 domestic season and subsequently eliminated any possibility of participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament.

How does his absence compare to other long-term injuries at Tottenham Hotspur?

Kulusevski represents the longest-serving occupant of Tottenham’s treatment room over the past 14 months. His recovery period runs parallel to other severe injury cases within the squad, including long-term rehabilitation schedules for Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, both of whom have missed extensive periods due to serious knee and quadriceps injuries respectively.

How will Dejan Kulusevski’s prospective return affect Tottenham Hotspur and its key stakeholders?

The reintegration of Kulusevski provides Tottenham Hotspur with an additional attacking profile in midfield and wide areas. Having spent over a year without his services, the coaching staff will gain a player recognized for high underlying creative metrics and ball-carrying capacity without requiring an immediate transfer expenditure.

However, because of the prolonged duration of his patella injury, the medical team will need to manage his match minutes cautiously during the opening months of his return to prevent mechanical overload or secondary muscular issues.

For Tottenham Hotspur supporters, the confirmed progression to pitch-based ball work offers clarity regarding a player who had been absent from public action for over 14 months.

His eventual availability provides depth across multiple positions, though supporters will likely expect a period of adaptation before the Swede reaches full match sharpness following such a lengthy lay-off.

For the Swedish national team and head coach Graham Potter, Kulusevski’s prospective return in the first half of the season aligns with upcoming international qualification fixtures.

Re-establishing a regular starter and designated playmaker back into international selection pools enhances Sweden’s technical options following a World Cup campaign conducted without one of their primary offensive focal points.