Spurs announce Dejan Kulusevski first team return date after over 500 days out

Spurs' forgotten man Dejan Kulusevski is finally set to return to football after spending more than 500 days on the sidelines.

Kulusevski picked up a knee injury against Crystal Palace in May 2025, ruling him out of the Europa League final victory over Manchester United which he watched while on crutches.

The Swede ended up missing the entirety of the 2026/27 season where Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League and avoided relegation on the final day.

But the former Juventus man's injury nightmare finally looks to be over after nearly 18 months away from the pitch.

'Big smile' - Roberto De Zerbi delivers how Dejan Kulusevski reacted to injury news

He returned to training at the start of September and is now in contention to be on the bench for Spurs' visit of newly-promoted Coventry City on Monday.

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The medical staff gave the go-ahead for Kulusevski to be on the bench, which delighted him when manager Roberto De Zerbi informed him of the good news.

In his press conference, De Zerbi said: “Yes [he will be on the bench], the medical staff have given the okay. It's probably the greatest news since the Everton game.

“He has suffered too much. I told him yesterday and he had a big smile on his face."

Dejan Kulusevski's complex injury explained by Sweden team doctor

Kulusevski had previously said he would "bet on myself" to be in in the mix for the 2026 World Cup with Sweden but did not win his race to return to fitness.

He initially had patella surgery before having another minor procedure. His injury proved to be a complex one, with Sweden's team doctor Jonas Werner explaining why it took so long for him to be fit again.

"It's been a long story with Dejan," Werner said, as per Fotbollskanalen.

"He's done everything he can to get ready, but when it came to deciding [if he would make the squad] he wasn't. The reason is that he hasn't played football in a year, but even the medical assessments made this spring have pointed in the direction that he wouldn't be ready.

"Cartilage injuries, like in Dejan's case, are troublesome. They are difficult to treat. Plus, he has it in a place that gets a lot of stress. The injury simply hasn't healed enough to handle that stress.”

Werner did also have high hopes that Kuluveski would play again and in a post on their official website, the club called it "the news we’ve been waiting for".

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The news promises to be a huge boost for Graham Potter, who recently said that Kulusevski was "very close" to returning as he called the winger "incredibly important" and "a world-class player".

Should his comeback go as planned, he could be available for the November international break.

Kulusevski joined Spurs initially on loan in 2022 before the move was made permanent. He has gone on to play 146 times in all competitions.