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Tottenham may welcome back two players for Man City in boost to Ange Postecoglou

Micky van de Ven receives treatment from physio during Tottenham vs Manchester City
-Credit: (Image: (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images))


Tottenham have plenty of injuries to contend with and Ange Postecoglou will be hoping for some relief in that department once the international break comes to a close.

The Spurs boss currently has six potential players unavailable and the prospect of now losing Rodrigo Bentancur to what has been reported as a seven-game suspension in the weeks ahead. The north London side return to Premier League action after the international break with a tough trip to the Etihad Stadium to face the reigning champions. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Here's a look at all of Tottenham's squad doubts and when they are expected to return to action for Postecoglou in the weeks or months ahead.

READ MORE: Tottenham confirm Wilson Odobert injury setback as fresh return timeline emerges

READ MORE: Tottenham's big January transfer window decisions Ange Postecoglou must make

Cristian Romero

Technically the Spurs vice-captain was back to face Ipswich after suffering an injury to his right foot in the win against Aston Villa, but he then went off at half-time in Argentina's defeat in Paraguay this week with pain in the same foot according to reports in his homeland and was being sent for further tests. He was not expected to take part in his country's second game.

Romero, who announced earlier this year that he is set to become a father for the second time, is a big player for Postecoglou even if he hasn't been on top form this season so far.

Return date: To be confirmed but hopefully nine days without a match should help.

Micky van de Ven

The Dutchman has been out since feeling pain in his hamstring in the Carabao Cup win against Manchester City. Postecoglou gave a further update a couple of weeks ago that the injury was not as bad as first feared and said: "[Micky] will be after the international break. When after it will be dictated by his progress during that time. The end of the international break is probably about four weeks. It’ll be some time after that. When exactly we’ll have to see."

All eyes will be on whether that exact time will be a return to try again against City or whether that comes too soon for Van de Ven.

Return date: After the international break.

Timo Werner

We're including Werner in this list because he's been carrying a groin injury and although he came back to face Ipswich, it would seem highly unlikely that the problem vanished in a couple of days.

These two weeks might have helped more in that respect in resting the problem and allowing some healing to happen, but Postecoglou will reveal more next week.

Return date: Likely to be available to face City but might not be 100%

Richarlison

The Brazilian has had a nightmare with injuries since joining Spurs and this season has been no different. The club had been taking it carefully with him, only for Richarlison to badly injure his hamstring while setting up Dominic Solanke's goal against Aston Villa.

"He was very disappointed. I think I said in the lead up, we tried to take a different approach, he worked awfully hard on his rehab but also his general fitness," said Postecoglou. "He'd really trimmed down in terms of his conditioning. He was doing everything right, we eased him back into playing, we didn't want to overload him and unfortunately he broke down again.

"He's disappointed but ultimately, we've just got to keep getting him back in there and work with him to get him back up because he's an important player. You saw last week the impact he had coming off the bench and setting up the goal for him. Disappointing for him, disappointing for us because we haven't really had him at our disposal this year.

"But we'll just keep working with Richy and try to get him back. I'm reticent to put [a time on] it but he'll be out for a significant amount of time. It's a significant hamstring injury."

Return date: A "significant" amount of time.

Wilson Odobert

The 19-year-old French winger has played just 162 minutes in the Premier League this season after suffering a hamstring injury against Coventry in the Carabao Cup in September. Odobert returned to action in the final couple of minutes of the Europa League game against AZ Alkmaar in late October only to suffer another problem.

Postecoglou confirmed last month that the teenager had suffered a serious setback in his attempts to return to the Tottenham squad.

"The only one missing out, which is a bit of a disappointment is Wilson," he said. "He's had a setback during the week and it seems like it's a serious one, so we're waiting for more information. It's not exactly the same [injury] but same area."

On Saturday, Odobert provided his own update on his injury with a photo from a bed at what he posted was The Princess Grace Hospital in Marylebone, London along with the caption 'Thanks God'.

Tottenham supporters will be hoping that if that means the winger has had surgery on his hamstring then the operation was a successful one. Surgery on a hamstring injury is often a last resort and has meant months out for those who have had them in recent seasons, like young defender Alfie Dorrington late last season.

Return date: Could be months if he's had surgery.

Mikey Moore

The 17-year-old was flying for Spurs and then got laid low this month by a nasty virus. It knocked Moore for six and meant he missed a couple of matches.

It's going to take the teenager a little while to get back to where he was with his fitness as viruses often linger in your system for a while but hopefully he'll be available for short periods of time from the bench as he builds his levels back up again.

Return date: Hopefully he will be able to be on the bench for the City game.

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