Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou says defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are unlikely to return until the new year.
The centre-backs sustained injuries during the 4-3 defeat by Chelsea on December 8 and were both withdrawn during the game. Having been surprise inclusions ahead of the match, Postecoglou said afterwards that it had not been a gamble to play them from the start, despite the injuries they then suffered.
Left-back Destiny Udogie, meanwhile, is a doubt for Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final tie against Manchester United after coming off 28 minutes into last Sunday’s 5-0 win at Southampton.
“Destiny, no injury but he is still a bit sore,” Postecoglou said. “We are not ruling him out but we will see how he is with the turn around. I think everyone else is as is.
“Van de Ven, Romero are still chugging along. I think both will be in the new year.
“Not as a significant injury as last time with Micky but obviously having a setback the medical team is going to make sure he is right to go.
“Mikey (Moore) is back in training. The next cabs off the rank are Mikey and Ben Davies potentially next week and Richarlison potentially first week of the new year.”
Davies had been partnering third-choice centre-back Radu Dragusin in the absence of Van de Ven and Romero but the Welshman’s injury has seen summer signing Archie Gray feature at the heart of defence in Spurs’ last two games.
Following the visit of United, Tottenham host Liverpool on Sunday before facing Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on December 26. They close out the year with a home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers three days later and their first game of 2025 is the visit of Newcastle United on January 4.
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