Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Paul van Hecke has returned to the club for treatment after withdrawing from the Netherlands squad with a foot injury picked up during international duty.
The 26-year-old was injured during the Netherlands’ 2-1 win over Serbia on Sunday and was unable to complete the Dutch side’s final training session before leaving the squad. The Netherlands confirmed that Van Hecke would return to Tottenham and that no replacement would be called up.
What is the injury?
The injury has been confirmed as a foot problem. The Netherlands’ football federation said Van Hecke picked up the injury during the Serbia match before withdrawing from training in Zeist.
Tottenham have not yet provided a more detailed diagnosis.
How long will Van Hecke be out?
At this stage, there is no confirmed timeframe for Van Hecke’s return. His availability for Tottenham’s Premier League trip to Manchester United on October 10 is therefore uncertain rather than him being ruled out.
Van Hecke has started all five of Spurs’ Premier League matches since joining from Brighton and has played every minute of the campaign so far. He also completed 90 minutes against both Germany and Serbia during this international break.
Tottenham will now assess the defender before deciding when he can return to training.
An opportunity for Tosin?
If Van Hecke is unavailable, the injury could open the door for Tosin Adarabioyo to make his first Premier League start for Spurs. The 29-year-old joined Tottenham from Chelsea on deadline day and has already made an appearance for the club.
Marcos Senesi is another option for Roberto De Zerbi, but Van Hecke’s absence would give Tosin a clear opportunity to push his case in training and potentially earn a starting place at Old Trafford.
Opinion: An injury to a player who has started every league game is never welcome, but the lack of a confirmed recovery timeline means there is no need to get ahead of ourselves. If Van Hecke does miss Manchester United, Tosin has a chance to turn an unwanted injury into a personal opportunity and show De Zerbi that he can be trusted when the pressure is on.
