Tottenham finally have Dejan Kulusevski back in training, but there is still no clear date for his return to competitive action.
The 26-year-old has been out for a very long time. His last competitive appearance came at the start of May 2025.
Kulusevski has now taken a significant step forward by returning to full training. However, he wasn’t included in Graham Potter’s latest Sweden squad for the Nations League.
His close friend Yasin Ayari has now provided a little more insight into the Tottenham player’s recovery.
Ayari delighted with Kulusevski’s progress
Speaking to Swedish outlet Fotbollskanalen, the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder explained how Kulusevski has handled such a difficult spell.
“He has started training and is making progress. I’m happy for him, that he can come back and do what he loves. I just hope things will go well when he’s 100%,” Ayari said.
“He has always been fit and taken care of his body. It’s mostly mental, seeing how mentally strong he has been during this process.”
“That he has managed to have a smile on his face even when it has taken so long. There have always been setbacks, but he always wakes up happy.”
Ayari has a particularly close relationship with Kulusevski. He is also in a relationship with the Tottenham player’s sister. That surely gives him some personal insight into how the winger has dealt with such a lengthy absence.
“It’s incredible how strong he has been during this journey. There aren’t many people who can wake up and keep fighting when they’ve been through so much.”
“He keeps fighting and is happy at the same time. When it comes to that, it’s not normal. He’s very strong mentally. I learn a lot from it.”
| Every Tottenham Hotspur signing 26/27 | Previous Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Sandro Tonali | Newcastle United | £92.5m |
| Mateus Fernandes | West Ham United | £85m |
| Sávio | Manchester City | £75m |
| Jan Paul van Hecke | Brighton | £52m |
| Tosin Adarabioyo | Chelsea | £7m |
| Marcos Senesi | Bournemouth | Free |
| Andy Robertson | Liverpool | Free |
| Martin Dúbravka | Burnley | Free |
| Cole Ramsey | Aston Villa | Free |
“It’s hard for me to say”
The big question for Tottenham is now when Kulusevski will actually be ready for matches. But Ayari couldn’t provide an answer when asked when his friend could return for Sweden.
“I don’t know. I don’t see him every day,” he said. But he is hopeful it won’t take too much longer.
“Hopefully soon. We’ve all missed him in the national team. Hopefully soon. It’s hard for me to say [if he’ll be match fit soon]. I don’t see him every day, I only talk to him.”
“I hope soon. He’s back on the training pitch, so step by step we hope he’ll be back. When he’s back, he’ll be 100%.”
That fits with Potter’s explanation for leaving Kulusevski out of the Sweden squad. The national team manager said Tottenham need to make the first call because they work with him every day.
“First he has to be involved with Tottenham, and they’re the ones who ultimately decide. They see him every day and are best placed to make that decision.”
“When he’s not involved there, it’s difficult for us to select him – even if we want to.”
For Tottenham, then, full training is clearly a big step after such a long absence. Getting Kulusevski back into a competitive match is the next one.
Ayari may be close to him, but even he isn’t putting a date on that yet.
🇳🇱 Jan Paul van Hecke is not happy
💬 “We had imagined it would be different. The way we play and concede goals is unacceptable. The way the energy drained away from the team is simply not right.”https://t.co/j7JtRUESJU #thfc #coys
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) September 21, 2026
