Kudus setback hits Tottenham as Roberto De Zerbi faces Sunderland test

kudus is at the center of Tottenham Hotspur’s latest injury concern, with Roberto De Zerbi waiting on a clearer picture before Sunday’s trip to Sunderland. The winger, who has been out since January with a hamstring issue, had been edging toward a return but now faces a possible setback that could alter Spurs’ survival plans. Tottenham go into the weekend one point above the bottom three, with De Zerbi under pressure to stop the slide.
Return plans in doubt before Sunderland
Mohammed Kudus had been pictured back in first-team training ahead of Tottenham’s meeting with Sunderland, which had raised hopes that he could return to the matchday squad before the end of the month. But the latest update leaves that timeline uncertain, and the club is now braced for the possibility that he misses the Black Cats clash and maybe more.
That uncertainty matters because Tottenham are already short on options and still looking for a first Premier League win of the year. If they lose at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon, they could fall into the relegation zone, while West Ham have the chance to add more pressure when they face Wolves on Friday night.
kudus remains the key concern
The biggest issue is that Kudus may need surgery after the setback, with it still unclear whether the problem is fresh or a further issue linked to his quad. He has already spent three months on the sidelines, and the concern now is that his season could be in jeopardy. That would be a major blow for a player who made a strong start in north London after arriving from West Ham for £55 million in the summer.
Before the injury, Kudus had scored one goal and delivered five assists in his first seven Premier League games for Tottenham. He also stood out in the dribble statistics this season, with only three players completing more successful dribbles than him.
What De Zerbi is waiting to learn
De Zerbi is expected to speak to the media on Friday afternoon and provide an update on the winger’s condition. For now, the message is simple: Tottenham need clarity, and they need it fast. The club has seven games left to protect their Premier League status, and every absence carries more weight now than it did earlier in the season.
There is still no firm return date, and that is the problem. A previous assessment suggested Kudus might not be available until the end of April, which would already have ruled him out of the Sunderland and Brighton matches. With the latest setback, even that outlook is under review.
Spurs wait for answers
Tottenham’s injury list remains crowded, with Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel, Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies also among the current absentees. In that context, the potential loss of Kudus feels even heavier, especially with the team still fighting to stay up.
The next step is straightforward: De Zerbi’s update, then a race against the clock before Sunday. If kudus is unavailable, Tottenham will have to face Sunderland without one of the few players who can change the tempo of their attack at a moment when the margin for error is almost gone.




