‘He has suffered a lot’: Tottenham Hotspur star set for return after more than 500 days out

The 26-year-old Stockholm native of North Macedonian descent has been sidelined since May 2025 due to a severe knee injury. "He will be on the bench. We had a meeting with the medical staff, who gave the green light, which is great news," head coach Roberto De Zerbi said on the eve of the match.

"He has suffered a lot. He deserves to feel the emotion on the pitch again," the Italian tactician continued. Kulusevski missed the entire 2025/2026 campaign, and De Zerbi shared his delight when breaking the news to the Sweden international that he would be part of the matchday squad to face Frank Lampard's side.

"I told him: 'I spoke with the medical team and they gave me the go-ahead.' And he gave a huge smile. We are very, very happy. It's not just about football; it's about something deeper. He has been through so much suffering and his reaction was fantastic," De Zerbi added.

Tottenham currently sit bottom in 19th place after six Premier League matches and spent the past week at a training camp in the south of Spain.

While Kulusevski could make his Tottenham return, Savio and Lucas Bergvall remain out injured, with Rodrigo Bentancur also unavailable due to suspension.