Harm-hit Tottenham face dropping centre-back Cristian Romero for as much as 5 weeks with a hamstring pressure, says supervisor Ange Postecoglou.
Defenders Micky van de Ven and Ryan Sessegnon are additionally out injured, whereas full-back Future Udogie is suspended for Thursday’s match at Brighton.
“[It’s] disappointing to lose [Romero], for certain,” mentioned Postecoglou.
“He had a scan the opposite day and has received a hamstring pressure. We’re most likely 4 or 5 weeks for him.”
World Cup winner Romero missed three matches via suspension in November and December after being despatched off in Tottenham’s 4-1 dwelling defeat to Chelsea.
They picked up only one level within the centre-half’s absence and misplaced to West Ham on his return, however have since received their previous three matches.
Spurs are fourth within the Premier League, six factors behind leaders Liverpool, who’ve performed one sport extra.
“We clearly missed him with the suspension and now we have simply received him again and he steadied issues up,” Postecoglou mentioned.
“Now he can be lacking once more for fairly a bit of time.”
Netherlands defender Van de Ven had constructed up a promising partnership with Romero earlier than he injured his hamstring towards Chelsea in November.
Postecoglou says Van de Ven is “getting nearer” to a return to first-team coaching, however believes the 22-year-old centre-back won’t be prepared till the Premier League match at Manchester United on 14 January.
“He’s on the tail finish of it, for certain,” added Postecoglou. “In some unspecified time in the future, center of January, he may very well be obtainable, however how we use him after such a protracted absence can be relying on the place he’s at.”
‘I would like to do one thing early within the window’
Postecoglou has spoken about eager to signal a brand new centre-back in January and is hoping Spurs can transfer shortly within the January switch window to fulfill his goal.
“Clearly if we will do enterprise early, it is nice for us,” he mentioned. “Not simply due to dropping Romero however there’s a complete month there – why waste it?
“In case you can convey them in early, even when they do not play you’ll be able to mattress them into coaching and our type of soccer as a result of it is not like we will signal any individual and so they’ll hit the bottom working.
“Whereas when you depart it in the direction of the top of January, it is doubtlessly not till mid to finish of February after they rise up to hurry, relying the place they’re coming from, the league they’re coming from, so there’s a complete lot of shifting elements.
“So, sure, I would like to do one thing early within the window however even me saying that places a problem on us, as a result of different golf equipment know we need to do one thing early.
“You have to play the sport, we’ll see what occurs however I am hopeful will probably be a lot sooner than the top of the window earlier than we convey somebody in.”
Spurs play at Brighton on 28 December and host Bournemouth on 31 December and, going into their closing two video games of the 12 months, Postecoglou has been impressed with how his gamers have coped with the membership’s harm points.
“We have been going via it for fairly some time to be truthful however I actually just like the angle everybody’s taking internally – the coaches and gamers,” he added.
“We have nonetheless been upset with our losses, nonetheless been upset if we’re not taking part in our soccer, that is an important factor.
“I am certain there’ll come a degree after we can be a lot more healthy by way of our taking part in shares, however I like the actual fact we’re profitable video games and taking part in respectable soccer with out a few of these gamers.”
