Tottenham fear Micky van de Ven is set for a lengthy spell out injured, despite hoping he will not require surgery.
Estimates suggest Van de Ven could be out until January at the earliest, although Tottenham are yet to put a firm timescale on his return and delayed an initial scan. Van de Ven pulled up with a hamstring injury in the 4-1 defeat by Chelsea on Monday and left Tottenham’s stadium on crutches.
Losing Van de Ven for an extended period will be a huge blow for head coach Ange Postecoglou and could encourage Tottenham to dip into the transfer market for a new centre-back in January. The Netherlands international, who was signed in a deal worth £43 million from Wolfsburg in the summer, has been one of the standout performers in Tottenham’s excellent start to the season.
Eric Dier is likely to deputise in the short term, but Tottenham are expected to draw up a list of possible targets for the next transfer window – even allowing for Van de Ven’s return from injury in the New Year.
James Maddison was also forced off in the defeat to Chelsea with an ankle problem he had been carrying going into the game. It is understood there was some doubt over whether or not Maddison would be fit enough to start against Chelsea and it remains to be seen whether or not the England international is risked against Wolves this weekend.
Cristian Romero will miss Tottenham’s next three games, against Wolves, Aston Villa and Manchester City, through suspension. That means Postecoglou will have to decide between playing one of his full-backs as a makeshift central defender or drafting in Ashley Phillips, the 18-year-old signed from Blackburn Rovers in the summer.
Meanwhile, Richarlison this week said he is expecting to undergo surgery on a pelvic injury.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
