Tottenham injury update: Brennan Johnson, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero latest news and return dates

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Evening Standard

·9 December 2024

Tottenham injury update: Brennan Johnson, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero latest news and return dates

Centre-back injuries piling up for Ange Postecoglou

Tottenham endured a tough week on the pitch and have been dealt further injury woes after back-to-back defeats in the Premier League.

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A 1-0 loss at Bournemouth saw Ben Davies ruled out for the foreseeable with a hamstring injury, while a home loss to Chelsea saw Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero return, but the latter then potentially pick up another fitness concern.

Van de Ven and Brennan Johnson also suffered injury scares, while the likes of Guglielmo Vicario, Wilson Odobert and Richarlison face weeks, if not months, on the sidelines.

Here is all the latest Tottenham injury news and return dates...

Action Images via Reuters

Brennan Johnson

Spurs are hopeful that Johnson has not suffered an injury against Chelsea, with his withdrawal shortly after half-time down to illness.

Postecoglou explained after the game: “Brennan just didn't feel well. He didn't feel well at half-time.

“He wanted to give it a go, but he just wasn't feeling 100 per cent, so I had to take him off.”

Potential return date: Thursday, December 12 vs Rangers

Micky van de Ven

The same goes for Van de Ven, who was a shock starter against Chelsea.

The defender has been sidelined for the last six games with a hamstring injury sustained during the 2-1 win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup back in October, and was not expected back until later in December.

However, he started against Chelsea and lasted 79 minutes until being replaced by Archie Gray, having required treatment to the back of his leg.

It prompted fears of another hamstring injury but Postecoglou said after the game that Van de Ven's withdrawal was "nothing serious", adding: "The plan was always for Micky to play 60, 70 [minutes] today, so we were always going take him off.

“He didn't feel anything significant. He just felt tightness, but we were always going to take him off anyway.”

Potential return date: Thursday, December 12 vs Rangers

Cristian Romero

Romero has been working his way back from a bruised toe since the international break and was also a starter against Chelsea.

The defender lasted less than 15 minutes, with Spurs 2-0 up, before being forced off and replaced by Radu Dragusin. Romero left the pitch with his shirt over his face and Postecoglou spoke afterwards of his concern.

“He felt something in his quad,” Postecoglou said: “He trained really well. He wasn't the one I was worried about, to be honest, but it's just the way the season's going for us unfortunately. So we just have to wait and see.”

Asked if it was a risk to play Romero, Postecoglou explained: “It's a totally different injury ... it's not like Romero re-injured his toe, it's a totally different injury, which could happen at any time.”

Potential return date: Unknown

Cristian Romero is closing in on a return for Tottenham

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Ben Davies

Spurs remain in the dark over how long Ben Davies will be sidelined for after picking up a hamstring injury against Bournemouth last week.

Speaking after the 1-0 loss, Postcoglou said: “It looks like he's done his hamstring ... he'll obviously be out for a period of time now, we'll just have to wait and see how long it is.”

Postecoglou added after the defeat to Chelsea on Sunday: “We’re still looking to find out the extent of Benny’s injury.”

Potential return date: Unknown

Guglielmo Vicario

Tottenham’s goalkeeper suffered a blow to his ankle in the first half against Man City but played on and finished the game, making a string of fine saves in the process.

However, he was seen limping when exiting the Etihad Stadium, with Spurs then revealing that he had undergone surgery on a fractured right ankle.

Vicario himself took to social media to reveal that he had played with the issue for an hour against City, making his performance all the more impressive.

The Italian international looks set for an extended spell out, with no timescale on his potential return as deputy Fraser Forster fills in.

Potential return date: Unknown

Tottenham will be without their No1 for an extended spell.

AFP via Getty Images

Mikey Moore

Mikey Moore’s last appearance came at the end of October in the Carabao Cup against Manchester City.

The teenager has been out since then with illness and Postecoglou made it clear earlier this week that the club will not rush Moore back.

“It's just that he's a young lad and he's only 17, and he's a big part of this football club, and we will protect him, and we'll be guided by how he feels, how he recovers from, you know, an illness,” Postecoglou said.

“Like I said, young people will recover at different rates. He'll be back. He's still here. He's part of what we're doing, and he'll be back in the next few week.”

Potential return date: Unknown

Richarlison

A frustrating time of things on the injury front continued for Richarlison after he suffered a hamstring injury during the win over Aston Villa last month.

The Brazilian is not expected back until the New Year.

“Hopefully, he'll be back in the New Year but, again, similar to Micky [Van de Ven], we've got to be careful every step of the way,” confirmed Postecoglou.

Potential return date: January 2025

Richarlison again finds himself on the sidelines with injury

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Wilson Odobert

Summer signing Wilson Odobert is facing an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering a “serious” setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury.

A club statement released on November 16 said: “We can confirm that Wilson Odobert underwent surgery to his right hamstring yesterday

"The 19-year-old will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team to determine when he can return to training."

Potential return date: Unknown