Tottenham consider recall option on Ashley Phillips loan amid defensive injury crisis | OneFootball

Spurs could bring back 19-year-old in January after losing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven

Tottenham are considering recalling centre-half Ashley Phillips from loan at Stoke City to help cover their injury crisis.

There is a recall clause in Phillips' season-long loan deal with the Potters which Spurs could trigger from the start of January.

Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou is set to have just one fit centre-half, Radu Dragusin, available for the festive schedule, with Archie Gray, 18, expected to fill in next to the Romanian, starting with Thursday's Europa League tie against Rangers at Ibrox.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both suffered fresh muscle injuries on their return to the side in Sunday's 4-3 defeat to Chelsea, while Ben Davies is also currently sidelined with a hamstring problem.

Phillips has made 13 appearances on loan for Championship side Stoke this season

Getty Images

Postecoglou has not put a timeline on Romero and Van de Ven returning to action again, but reports in Argentina have claimed the former will be out for six weeks with a quad injury, while Van de Ven is thought to be facing up to three weeks on the sidelines with another hamstring strain.

Phillips, 19, is yet to make an appearance for Spurs since joining from Blackburn in a £3million deal in summer 2023.

The England Under-21 international spent the second half of last season on loan at Plymouth, helping them to avoid relegation from the Championship, and has made 13 appearances for Championship side Stoke this term.

If Phillips features for Spurs, he would not be allowed to play for another club this season, so the club will weigh up the potential impact to his development of recalling him.

Postecoglou said in September that Spurs' decision not to pursue another centre-half in the summer was partly down to a desire not to block the pathway for Phillips and Luka Vuskovic, the 17-year-old Croatian currently on loan at Belgian club Westerlo and set to join Spurs next the summer.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.