Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has been dealt what could be his first bit of bad news on the injury front, after a suggestion that one of his esteemed new players could now miss the World Cup.
De Zerbi inherits crocked Spurs squad with mammoth task on his hands
De Zerbi has not yet taken a training session as Tottenham head coach, with Friday expected to be his first day of working with his very limited squad.
He has been in the job for barely 48 hours, and already, the scale of what he has inherited is becoming clearer by the day.
The injury list that greeted De Zerbi upon his arrival at Spurs is one of the most debilitating any Premier League manager has faced mid-season in recent memory.
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is sidelined after undergoing surgery on a hernia problem, while James Maddison hasn’t kicked a ball since August’s pre-season tour, a serious knee injury ruthlessly wiping out what was supposed to be a pivotal season.
Dejan Kulusevski, who required a second surgical procedure on his knee during the international break, has not featured since last campaign.
Wilson Odobert remains out, Yves Bissouma is unavailable, and Ben Davies has been absent as well.
Tottenham went for Roberto De Zerbi after title-winning manager rejected them in ‘surprise meeting’
The Italian is now officially Spurs’ third manager of the season.
Mohammed Kudus has been working his way back from a thigh problem, with a possible return against Sunderland on the cards.
Mathys Tel picked up a groin concern with France’s under-21 side, so it remains to be seen how long the Frenchman will be sidelined for.
Pape Matar Sarr — one of Spurs’ most reliable and versatile performers all season, with 33 appearances across all competitions — was also withdrawn from the Senegal squad prior to their midweek friendly against Gambia with a shoulder injury, adding yet another name to an already barely-believable treatment table.
It is into this chaos that De Zerbi must attempt to build something capable of keeping Tottenham in the Premier League, with seven games remaining and a single point between the club and the relegation places.
Tottenham dealt fresh Rodrigo Bentancur injury blow after update
And now, according to ESPN Deportes, a cloud of uncertainty has also formed over Rodrigo Bentancur’s availability for Uruguay at this summer’s World Cup — a situation that simultaneously concerns both club and country.
The Uruguayan midfielder, who has been out since tearing his hamstring during Spurs’ 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth in January and subsequently underwent surgery, is listed in ESPN’s analysis of Marcelo Bielsa’s likely 26-man squad as a player very much in doubt.
The report describes him as a player who “got injured and is in doubt for the World Cup,” before adding that if he does recover in time, his inclusion in Bielsa’s plans is beyond question.
He has been one of the La Celeste coach’s most trusted operators, a composed, intelligent midfielder with 73 caps whose absence would significantly weaken Uruguay.
The 28-year-old has reportedly been making better-than-expected progress — his personal fitness coach revealed he was around 15 days ahead of schedule in mid-March, having begun outdoor work and football-specific movement.
Journalist Alasdair Gold believes that Bentancur will suit De Zerbi down to the ground, but whether the South American will be available to him is now another question.
A midfielder of his quality and experience, fit and available, transforms De Zerbi’s options in a midfield that has been threadbare for months.
Getting him back even for the run-in could prove significant in the most consequential seven games the club has faced in years.
Bielsa will be watching every update closely, so too will De Zerbi, for very different reasons.
Both men need Bentancur fit, but whether he will be is the question neither can yet answer.