Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma could be back in action before the end of October despite being stretchered off while on international duty with Mali (h/t Football London).
The Tottenham midfielder suffered an ankle injury during Mali’s 4-1 World Cup qualifying win over Madagascar on Sunday, seconds after coming on as a substitute.
Tottenham fans were worried as initial fears suggested a lengthy lay-off, but the problem is reportedly far less severe than first thought.
Bissouma is expected to miss only two to three weeks of action for Spurs, with the injury diagnosed as an ankle contusion, significant bruising rather than ligament damage.
The Spurs medical team will conduct its own assessment once the player returns to North London.
Bissouma has yet to feature for Tottenham this season, but the club will have to manage his recovery carefully, given that he recently recovered from a knee issue.
He also angered his new boss, Thomas Frank, by arriving late to meetings, which led to punishment.
Frank ultimately left Bissouma off the UEFA Champions League squad list. He must be itching to rebuild form and fitness.
Spurs need the 42-cap international back soon, as the club must lighten the workload on influential holding midfielder Joao Palhinha.
Palhinha joined the Europa League champions in the summer transfer window and has been a revelation in the engine room.
However, Spurs must be careful not to overuse him. The club needs an able deputy for the Portuguese international, and Bissouma is the only like-for-like profile in the squad.
Bissouma will allow Palhinha to rest and be fresh to deliver, so Tottenham must closely monitor his injury situation.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion star posted an emotional message on Instagram after the incident.
His teammates and fans have flooded social media with messages of support.
