Tottenham suffer Iliman Ndiaye replacement blow but two stars could be back for Everton

Tottenham Hotspur will be without new signing Mykhailo Mudryk for the game with Everton at the weekend but two key players are nearing a return.

The Ukraine international, a deadline day arrival on loan from Chelsea, is expected to miss between six and eight weeks after suffering an ankle injury in training on Monday.

He is one of several players set to sit out the visit of the Blues with the setback being the latest blow for a Spurs side yet to score this season in the Premier League. Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are both close to what would be significant returns, however.

Mudryk was a late addition to the Tottenham squad after the club lost the battle to sign Everton star Iliman Ndiaye. The winger was set head to north London in a £60m deal that would have seen the Blues sign Richarlison in a separate, but linked, deal.

But Manchester City swooped in for the Senegal international after their attempt to sign Cody Gakpo from Liverpool fell through, signing Ndiaye for a £60m fee that could rise by a further £5m.

Spurs turned to Mudryk, offering him a chance to rebuild his career after a doping ban for testing positive for a banned substance. He received a four-year ban in 2024 but was cleared to return to action in the summer after resolving his case with the Football Association.

His 17 minutes from the bench in the draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday was his first competitive appearance since November 2024.

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi will also be without other key players, with Mudryk joining Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert on the sidelines.

Maddison has missed the last two games with a shoulder issue but had returned to training ahead of the Forest game so could be in contention for Saturday evening. Kulusevski has also returned to training after his 16 months out with a knee problem.

De Zerbi should have new signings Omar Marmoush and Savio available but there appears little chance of Richarlison playing against his former club after he was left out of the Spurs squad submitted to the Premier League.

The Italian coach said it was not his decision and last week said the Brazil forward had requested to leave.

Everton had an equally dramatic conclusion to the transfer window but head into the match with a small, albeit settled squad.

Hayden Hackney, Jarrad Branthwaite and James Garner all featured against Manchester United last weekend as they continued to grow in strength after summers in which their fitness programmes were managed amid rehabilitation work from injuries.

The only expected absence is that of Christian Norgaard. The midfielder was signed from Arsenal in the summer but is not due to be available before the international break later this month due to an injury not yet specified by the club.

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