Tottenham without injured star until April as Tudor given torrid update

New Igor Tudor has barely had time to settle into his office at Hotspur Way, yet the scale of the challenge confronting him at Tottenham Hotspur is already impossible to ignore. The Croatian arrives in north London at a moment of genuine crisis, inheriting not only a team spiralling down the table but also a squad ravaged by injuries — with one key star now ruled out until at least early April.

From the moment Tudor stepped through the doors on Monday morning, the situation was laid bare. Tottenham sit 16th in the Premier League, just five points clear of the relegation zone, and staring at the very real possibility of a fight for survival. Waiting for him in his first match in charge is a daunting initiation: a North London derby against Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The abrupt end to Thomas Frank’s eight-month tenure left frustration and disappointment in its wake. The Dane was unable to halt a damaging slide in form, and Spurs now find themselves contemplating something previously unthinkable — relegation from the Premier League for the first time in their history.

Tudor has been brought in as the firefighter. Known for his ability to make swift impacts and implement an energetic, front-foot style of play, he has previously stabilised turbulent situations at clubs such as Juventus, Lazio and Marseille. But even by his standards, this assignment may prove the most demanding yet.

The injury crisis alone would test the resilience of any coach.

Captain Cristian Romero remains sidelined until mid-March and must also serve a four-match suspension. Creative lynchpin James Maddison is unavailable, while attacking threats Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison are all out. Midfield battler Rodrigo Bentancur is also missing, and young forward Wilson Odobert has suffered a devastating ACL injury that is expected to end his campaign entirely.

To compound matters further, Destiny Udogie faces another month on the treatment table. Ten players were absent for Tottenham’s last outing — a staggering number that underlines the severity of the situation.

Tudor has already spoken about adapting his system to suit the players who are actually available. That is not tactical experimentation; it is damage limitation. Every selection decision feels less like fine-tuning and more like emergency management.

Among the absentees, however, one name stands out when considering the club’s broader ambitions. Lucas Bergvall, regarded as one of Europe’s most promising young midfielders, has been sidelined since sustaining an ankle sprain against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.

According to reports, Bergvall is expected to be out for another six weeks — a timeline that effectively rules him out until April. For a team locked in a relegation scrap, six weeks is an eternity. It means missing some of the most decisive fixtures of the season, games that could ultimately determine whether Tottenham preserve their top-flight status.

His absence is symbolic of a deeper issue at the club. Spurs have invested heavily in recent seasons, assembling what appears on paper to be a squad rich in depth and quality. Yet time and again, injuries have prevented them from fielding anything close to their strongest XI. The growing concerns around the club’s injury record and physical conditioning are conversations Tudor cannot ignore.

In the longer term, he will need to address that structural problem. In the short term, however, his focus is brutally simple: results.

The derby against Arsenal looms large. For neutral observers, it promises drama and intensity. For Tottenham, it arrives at an unforgiving moment — perhaps too soon for a manager still learning names, assessing fitness reports, and piecing together a patched-up squad.

Tudor’s task is clear. Steady the ship. Restore belief. Accumulate points by any means necessary. The margin for error is thin, the pressure immense, and the clock already ticking.