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Confirmed update on Tottenham star man in race-against-time bid to make Juventus showdown
By Richard Parks
Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that Jan Vertonghen will be assessed today (Monday) by Tottenham’s medical team as they sweat on his fitness ahead of the Champions League showdown against Juventus in nine days’ time.
The key centre-back was forced to miss Spurs’ 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park yesterday, which was the first league game he has not started this season.
Spurs confirmed on their official Twitter account shortly after their side was announced that the Belgium international was missing from the matchday squad after sustaining an ankle injury in training on Saturday.
TEAM NEWS: @AlderweireldTob misses out with a minor hamstring injury. @JanVertonghen is also unavailable after taking a heavy knock to his ankle in training yesterday. pic.twitter.com/rmHr6eMUUb
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 25, 2018
The manager delivered an update on Vertonghen in the wake of the London derby triumph.
“Jan we need to assess tomorrow,” said Pochettino at his post-match press conference, as quoted by Football London. “He received a heavy knock on his ankle.
“We were training yesterday and we couldn’t not communicate because we were waiting until the next day to assess him to see whether it was possible to play him. He wasn’t ready, but now we need to see. We hope it’s not a big deal.”
Vertonghen has been a mainstay of Tottenham’s backline this season, starting 27 of their 28 Premier League fixtures and five of their seven Champions League matches.
Football Insider verdict:
Tottenham will feel they can get by without Vertonghen in Wednesday’s FA Cup replay against Rochdale, and perhaps also in Saturday’s Premier League clash against Huddersfield. But it is vital the team’s outstanding defender this season is back for the crunch clash against Juventus at Wembley, which is the team’s biggest match of the season. Pochettino will not want to face such top-notch opponents without the big Belgian, who has provided granite-like solidity at the back in the best campaign of his career.
In other Tottenham news, it can be revealed the club are working on deals to sign up FIVE players, with three agreements virtually nailed on.
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