Dejan Kulusevski's Tottenham career takes new twist

Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to offer Dejan Kulusevski a new contract until next summer at the earliest.

This comes amid lingering concerns about the 26-year-old's fitness despite his return to training at Hotspur Way, having been on the sidelines for nearly 17 months since May 2025.

The Sweden international sustained a serious injury to his right kneecap, and further complications left him sidelines for far longer than anybody had expected.

Former Tottenham scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Spurs will be happy to have Kulusevski back but will give him time to adjust before making any decisions.

Speculatoin about the attacking midfielder's contract has come with less than two years remaining on his current deal, leading to suggestions Spurs could look to tie him down.

While there have been suggestions Kulusevski would be happy to extend his stay at Tottenham, any decision about his future is unlikely to be made until he is playing regularly again.

Could Tottenham offer Dejan Kulusevski a new contract?

Football Insider revealed on 1 October that Tottenham will be "more than happy" to discuss terms over a new contract for Kulusevski if he makes a steady return to action.

Spurs are keen to tread carefully regarding his situation and will not rush him back into action before he is completely ready to make a return.

Doubts over his future have grown throughout his spell on the sidelines, but if he can get back to playing regularly under Roberto De Zerbi, he may still have a key part to play.

"Tottenham have got to be very careful with how they handle Kulusevski's situation," Brown told Football Insider.

"Any player who spends pretty much a year and a half on the sidelines is going to struggle to get back into the swing of things, especially getting back up to match fitness.

"It has to be a slow process, they can't afford to rush it, because they still have major concerns about the length of time he missed.

"With regard to his contract situation, there's no immediate urgency to get a deal done because he's still got a couple of years left, so they can take their time to make a decision.

"They don't want to hand him a new deal right now, for example, because he might come back into the team and then take another knock, or he might not be the same player.

"But if he can get playing regularly again and prove he still has a part to play at Tottenham, then they'll be keen to tie down his future."

What is the latest on Kulusevski's injury?

Given the severity of Kulusevski's injury and the length of time he has spent on the sidelines, there are still concerns about how long it might take him to get back up to speed.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King told Football Insider on 4 October that Kulusevski's injuries will have taken a serious toll on his mody and mind over the last 17 months.

The Sweden international cost the Lilywhites just £25million in 2023 when his loan move was made permanent following a hugely exciting six months.

However, there are worries that he will not get back to his best following his return, at least not in the immediate future, as he continues on a long comeback trail.

Nobody could have predicted how long he would be ruled out for, but the club's focus is now on his recovery and getting him back playing without rushing his return.