Tottenham Hotspur's summer transfer strategy is coming under renewed scrutiny after loan signing Mykhailo Mudryk suffered an ankle injury that will keep him out until after the international break, leaving manager Roberto De Zerbi short of attacking options once again.
The Ukrainian winger had only recently begun working his way back to full match fitness following an absence of almost two years, and his arrival was meant to inject fresh energy into a Tottenham forward line that has often looked short of creativity. Mudryk had not featured in a competitive fixture since November 2024 before making a cameo appearance against Nottingham Forest, making his move to Spurs something of a gamble from the outset.
That gamble has now backfired, at least in the short term, with his injury laying bare how thin Tottenham's attacking resources remain despite an extensive summer rebuild. The north London club spent more than £300million reshaping their squad, bringing in Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke, along with Manchester City pair Savio and Omar Marmoush. Yet much of that outlay was directed toward midfield and defensive reinforcements rather than forward areas.
Compounding the issue, academy winger Mikey Moore was sent out on loan to Bundesliga club Cologne late in the window, further reducing De Zerbi's attacking depth. With Mudryk now sidelined, the Italian coach is left to lean on a trio of players still working their way back from their own fitness problems: Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.
Kudus has gradually returned to action this season after recovering from a serious quad injury, contributing useful cameo appearances off the bench. Maddison and Kulusevski, however, remain further back in their respective recoveries, and while it is plausible all three could eventually feature together before the end of the year, De Zerbi has shown little inclination to rush any of them back prematurely.
That caution stems partly from lessons learned last January, when Tottenham opted against strengthening their attack in the transfer market and instead trusted that injured players would return swiftly. That decision backfired badly, as fitness issues mounted through the second half of the season and the club found itself fighting to preserve its Premier League status.
While the current situation is not identical, the parallels are difficult to ignore. Spurs again find themselves reliant on the recovery timelines of key attacking players rather than having proven, fit alternatives readily available. The club has previously argued that the January market often lacks value, making it a difficult window in which to strengthen without overpaying or unsettling squad harmony.
Nevertheless, the growing sense is that Tottenham cannot afford to repeat last season's approach. When the transfer window reopens in January, De Zerbi will need clarity on whether his existing group of attackers can be trusted to stay fit and deliver consistently, or whether the club must move into the market to address what is becoming an increasingly familiar problem.
For now, De Zerbi must navigate the coming weeks with a stripped-back forward line, hoping that Kudus, Kulusevski and Maddison can return to fitness without further setbacks. How quickly - and how effectively - they do so may well determine whether Tottenham's attacking concerns become a defining storyline of their season.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.