OFFICIAL TOTTENHAM INJURY REPORT—DOMINIC SOLANKE AND KULUSEVSKI TARGET EARLY JANUARY RETURN DATES
Dominic Solanke is finally nearing a Tottenham return! Thomas Frank confirms the striker targets a January comeback.
Tottenham Injury News: Dominic Solanke's Possible Return Could Be a January Positive
Tottenham is still facing player availability issues as they head into the busy winter season, but there's some hope coming from within the club. Even though suspensions and long-term injuries are still limiting Thomas Frank's choices, the injury update on Dominic Solanke is a welcome bit of good news as Spurs try to steady their season.
Things aren't perfect by any means. But with January getting closer and several players getting closer to coming back, Tottenham's treatment room is starting to look a little less packed. People inside the club are keeping a close eye on Solanke's progress.
Dominic Solanke's Recovery Is Picking Up
Dominic Solanke's absence has been a quiet but important part of Tottenham's injury problems this season. The striker hasn't played since the end of August because of a nagging ankle issue that needed surgery in October.
There were worries within the club that his recovery was taking longer than expected, but recent progress has eased those concerns. Solanke has increased his rehab work and is now making good progress. Club staff are happy with how his body has responded in recent weeks.
Frank has said that Solanke is getting closer to being included in the game-day squad. They won't take any unnecessary risks, but it seems like his return is expected if everything goes well in training.
A January comeback is looking more and more likely, which would give Tottenham a much-needed attacking option during a busy run of games. Spurs have missed Solanke's mobility and work ethic, especially when rotation has been limited.
Broader Tottenham Injury Situation
Solanke's progress is happening within a larger injury situation that is still difficult for Tottenham. Destiny Udogie is out with a hamstring injury and isn't expected back until January, which limits options at full-back during a demanding holiday stretch.
Dejan Kulusevski is another player who is close to returning. The Swedish player has been recovering from a knee injury that he suffered late last season and is back on the field. Early hopes for a return have faded; there's still hope that he could play early in the new year if training is managed carefully.
Kota Takai is still working his way back after being involved very little since joining in the summer. His path seems slower, with playing time coming at the development level rather than immediately with the first team.
James Maddison is still out long-term after a bad knee injury in pre-season. His recovery is being handled carefully, and he's expected to return closer to the start of the 2026 season rather than this season.
January Plans Affected by Fitness Updates
Tottenham's injury updates will shape their January plans. The club knows that returning players like Solanke and Kulusevski might make it less urgent to bring in short-term players, especially in the attack.
But availability is now more important than reputation when planning the squad. Spurs have lost points in games where tiredness and limited rotation were obvious, highlighting the importance of getting players back on the field rather than just having big names on the team.
Solanke's return would add depth and tactical versatility. He can lead the line, connect play, and press from the front, which is what Frank wants from his attacking players. That makes his recovery just as important as any possible January signing.
Tottenham's Outlook Heading into the New Year
Tottenham's season is still uncertain. Suspensions have made things difficult in recent weeks, but injury news is slowly improving. The club isn't rushing players back, keeping in mind the long-term risks, but it's believed that January will be much better in terms of squad availability.
Solanke is key to that hope. His rehab has reached a point where time frames are clearer, confidence is higher, and planning can be more precise. If he returns as expected, Tottenham will get a forward who is reliable as well as talented, which has been lacking.
For now, the Spurs are carefully managing playing time and workloads. But with Solanke's return getting closer and others following behind him, Tottenham might finally be entering a period where injuries help them rather than hurt them.
AWONIYI DOUBLE LEAVES NOTTINGHAM FOREST ON THE VERGE OF PREMIER LEAGUE SAFETY
Nottingham Forest moved closer to safety with a 3-1 win over Chelsea, while West Ham fell into the relegation zone after Spurs won.
Nottingham Forest came out of the weekend looking pretty safe after pulling off an impressive 3-1 win at Chelsea. They’re almost clear of the relegation mess. Tottenham’s big away win at Aston Villa shook things up too, and now West Ham are back in the bottom three, running out of time faster than ever.
Forest have stepped up just when they needed to, leaving West Ham and Tottenham behind with a string of solid performances. Honestly, no one saw this coming, especially since Vitor Pereira shuffled his lineup with eight changes, fresh off a Europa League win against Aston Villa.
Even so, Forest were ahead within 90 seconds, thanks to Taiwo Awoniyi’s quick strike. By the 15th minute, Igor Jesus calmly buried a penalty after Malo Gusto’s reckless foul in the box. Chelsea had a chance to get back in it, but Cole Palmer wasted a penalty right before the break after a scary head collision involving Jesse Derry.
Awoniyi doubled down and scored again early in the second half, pushing Forest six points ahead of West Ham with just three games left.
West Ham’s weekend started badly; they looked flat and lost to Brentford. Things got worse Sunday night when Tottenham pulled off their first back-to-back Premier League wins since August 2025, beating a heavily rotated Aston Villa side 2-1.
Forest is now out of West Ham’s reach, or almost. Tottenham’s still close enough for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team to worry, but with three tough games coming up, Spurs could stay up even without another win, unless West Ham digs deep and pulls off something unexpected before their home finale against Leeds.
Right now, Forest can practically taste safety. Spurs finally see a way out after weeks of struggle. As for West Ham, they’re left hoping for a miracle, a last-minute twist to dodge the drop.
CESC FABREGAS CONFIRMS INTEREST IN PREMIER LEAGUE RETURN AMID CHELSEA'S MANAGER SEARCH
As Chelsea searches for a new manager, Cesc Fabregas breaks his silence on his future at Como and his Premier League ambitions.
Cesc Fabregas recalls exactly how a conversation with Jose Mourinho prompted him to join Chelsea, despite having the opportunity to return to Arsenal.
After winning six trophies in just three seasons, the Spanish World Cup winner left Barcelona for the second time in 2014. That summer, Fabregas made a move back to the Premier League, signing with Chelsea for about €33 million.
He already knew English football well. Fabregas had arrived at Arsenal as a 16-year-old from Barcelona in 2003 and made 212 Premier League appearances for them. When he decided to leave Barcelona, Manchester City also wanted him, but Chelsea convinced him, mostly thanks to Mourinho.
Talking with talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings on YouTube, Fabregas laid out how it all happened. “Honestly, when I made up my mind to leave Barcelona, my first thought was just to go back to Arsenal. They had this buyback clause; they had two weeks to use it after I told them I was leaving. They knew about it but didn’t take it. That surprised me a little, but in the end, I had to think about my career. I was 27, at the peak of my career, and I wanted to continue performing and winning trophies. City and Chelsea were both options.
“But when Mourinho spoke to me, that was it. He showed me his plans for the team and told me about Diego Costa, Courtois, and Filipe Luis and how, with those guys, we’d win the league. He was right, by the way. We won both the Premier League and the Carling Cup.”
Fabregas wasted no time winning over Chelsea fans. On his debut at Burnley, he set up two goals, including a stunning assist for Andre Schurrle. He finished his first season at Chelsea with five goals and 24 assists, along with Premier League and League Cup medals.
Things dipped the next season. Fabregas got just 15 goal contributions, and Chelsea slipped all the way to tenth. But when Antonio Conte took charge in 2016-17, they bounced back, and Fabregas picked up another league title.
He added an FA Cup win in 2018, his second, after his earlier one with Arsenal, and left for Monaco a few months later. His last Chelsea match came in the FA Cup against Nottingham Forest. When he got subbed off, he couldn’t hold back tears.
Chelsea supporters still sing about him; that “Oh, Fabregas is magic...” chant sticks around. And with his name in the conversation for a possible return, maybe they haven’t seen the last of him yet.