Ange Postecoglou has said that Tottenham have been preparing well in advance for Son Heung-min’s departure for the Asian Cup, but injuries have made matters more complicated.
The fixture list shows the Spurs captain could miss the FA Cup third-round visit of Burnley, potentially a fourth-round tie, and several Premier League games including Manchester United at Old Trafford. Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are also set to compete at the Africa Cup of Nations for Mali and Senegal respectively over the next month or so.
With Postecoglou confirming that Micky Van de Ven has returned to training Spurs are getting players back at the perfect time. James Maddison is also another pivotal player sidelined, but he is expected to return sometime in early 2024.
Postecoglou has said he’s been preparing for Son’s departure since the start of the season, but injuries have proved problematic.
He said: “I’ve been preparing for it since the start of the season, but I wasn’t preparing to lose half a dozen other players at the same time.
“If we had some of our injured players available and fit, the absence would be diminished albeit he’s still a significant person at our football club.
“It’s not just about what he does as a player, he’s the captain of the club, he’s been our leader, an outstanding leader from Day One on and off the field. It’s a significant absence.
“From that perspective, in terms of the presence he had on the field, if Romero and Maddison were available, you could diminish it.
“But they’re not available. “With all the other challenges we’ve got, it makes it more difficult. But it’s been like that from day one. We’ve had to overcome these things and it’s just another challenge for us.”
