If you wanted confirmation that Spurs are now even deeper into an injury crisis as they navigate another disappointing season, well I’m sorry to be the person to have to bring it to you. Multiple outlets are now reporting that midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur will miss the next three months and will undergo surgery after injuring his hamstring in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the FA Cup this past weekend.
Lolo was one of two players to leave the match with suspected hamstring injuries, along with Tottenham’s starting striker and leading scorer Richarlison, who pulled up holding the back of his leg during the same match. We haven’t heard anything about Richarlison’s injury, but losing Bentancur just makes Tottenham’s already-existing injury crisis even more critical.
Consider: with Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr still (technically) at AFCON, Spurs essentially only have three “natural” first team central midfielders available for selection — Joao Palhinha, Archie Gray, and Xavi Simons. And Xavi’s basically a 10. Thomas Frank might have to get creative [ironic chuckle] with players such as Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel in future matches, and we better hope that Lucas Bergvall isn’t as injured as we suspect he might be.
But what makes me giggle the most is the implication, as Romano outlines above, that Bentancur’s injury will now prompt Spurs to look for a central midfielder in the January transfer window. Oh, NOW you want to look for a central midfielder, and not, y’know, any time since last June when it’s been desperate that we’ve needed midfield passing since Ange Postecoglou left the club? OK.
It’s grimly funny. Still, hope we sign one, because we sure could use them.
