Dejan Kulusevski is edging closer to a return for Tottenham after more than 15 months out with a serious knee injury, Sweden manager Graham Potter has confirmed.
The 26-year-old has not played since damaging his right knee during Tottenham’s match against Crystal Palace on 11 May 2025. He subsequently underwent surgery and has spent almost 500 days working his way back to full fitness.
Kulusevski recently resumed full training with Spurs and was included in the squad for the Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest on 5 September. However, a minor issue during preparations led Tottenham to leave him out as a precaution.
Graham Potter gives Dejan Kulusevski injury update
Despite that setback, Potter believes the Sweden international is now close to returning to competitive action and could be considered for the national team’s upcoming fixtures.
“He is actually very close. I am so impressed with how he has handled his injury,” Potter told SVT.
“We have to be careful with him. I hope he comes with us, but we have to talk to Dejan and Tottenham first.”
Sweden are due to begin their autumn Nations League campaign in September, although Potter stressed that Kulusevski’s involvement would depend on discussions with the player and Tottenham’s medical team.
Potter regards the forward as a key figure for Sweden and praised both his character and his ability. He described Kulusevski as a world-class player whose presence would provide a significant lift to the squad.
Any return is expected to be carefully managed after the length and complexity of the winger’s rehabilitation. Tottenham have already taken a cautious approach by ruling him out of the Forest fixture following the small problem in training.
The club’s current squad list confirms that Kulusevski remains part of Roberto De Zerbi’s first-team plans, with the Sweden international retaining his number 21 shirt.
For now, the priority is to build his fitness steadily rather than risk another interruption. But Potter’s assessment that Kulusevski is “very close” will offer encouragement to Tottenham supporters waiting to see one of the club’s most influential attacking players back in action.
