Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi is planning to include Dejan Kulusevski in his Premier League squad as the winger closes in on a return to full fitness.
Kulusevski has been sidelined for more than 15 months after suffering a serious knee injury in May 2025. The 26-year-old saw his recovery littered with complications and setbacks, including the disappointment of missing the World Cup, but he finally seems to be making steady progress.
'I hope and I will be very happy to see Kulusevski inside [the squad],' said De Zerbi. 'I want to put Kulusevski in the list because he is working very well, very hard. He's a good guy and he's a different player.'
'If he feels good like now, he's improving day by day, it's great watching him. He deserves it because he has suffered too much for his career for his age. I'm not speaking of him as a player but as a human. He deserves to be inside the list.'
Confirming Kulusevski in the 25-man list after the transfer deadline on Tuesday would restrict De Zerbi in other areas, as clubs have a limit of 17 overseas senior players.
Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are also recovering from serious knee injuries and are unlikely to be named in the squad.
'Odobert is injured for a long time,' said De Zerbi. 'Before February, March, he is not available. Xavi Simons before March, April, he's not ready.'
Transfer summit and remaining targets
Spurs have signed eight players this summer and are still searching for a left winger before the deadline, with Liverpool player Cody Gakpo a top target.
Pape Matar Sarr is most likely to leave as things stand. After completing the signing of Omar Marmoush, Tottenham would also entertain interest in Richarlison, who has one year remaining on his contract plus a one-year option.
Meanwhile, De Zerbi picked up the bill as Tottenham powerbrokers met for dinner to plot their final moves of the summer transfer market.
The manager and his assistant Enrico Venturelli were joined by members of the ruling Lewis family, chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange at an Italian restaurant in London on Thursday.
The club has invested close to £400million in new players since flirting with relegation last season and will not rule out more business, as they try to reinforce on the left wing ahead of their first home game of the Premier League season against Newcastle.
'I think we can do one player more and in one specific position,' said De Zerbi. 'We went for dinner and we are all on the same page. There is a very good connection.'
'I am not pushing. It's the first time I didn't push to complete the squad. I didn't push. They pushed to build it with the top players. It's not my business the transfer market. I didn't expect one transfer window like we have done.'
Spurs have recouped almost £150million with sales, a figure which can increase with bonus add-ons.
Club hierarchy and record signings
This is the first summer transfer window since Daniel Levy was ousted as chairman. Transfer activity was led by Lange, Venkatesham and director of football operations Rafi Moersen.
Nick Beucher, son-in-law of Vivienne Lewis, has become increasingly influential since the power shift almost a year ago.
Tottenham have twice broken the club transfer record this summer to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85million and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for £100million.
'Johan was brilliant in terms of ideas to make solutions,' said De Zerbi. 'Vinai, when we closed the Tonali deal, made a video call to me when I was on holiday and he had a big smile, very happy.'
'We went for dinner before the Chelsea game last season with Vinai and Johan, and it's a part of our job to organise and make the last plans in the last days of the transfer market, to speak about the condition of the players and the transfers we can do in the next three or four days. There is seriously a great relationship with all of them.'
