After back-to-back defeats to Nottingham Forest and Sunderland in the Premier League, without scoring in either game, Tottenham Hotspur are in dire need of some attacking firepower.
New manager Roberto De Zerbi looked set to benefit from the return of Mohammed Kudus from a long-term injury heading into the final weeks of the season.
And that would have been a major boost for Spurs, who host Brighton on Saturday looking for crucial points in the relegation battle.
When will Mohammed Kudus next play for Spurs?
Kudus has been out since January with a quad injury sustained in a 1-1 draw versus Sunderland.
He was pictured back in training before last weekend’s trip to the Stadium of Light, but he has since suffered another setback.
There are now fears that Kudus could be out for the rest of the season, with specialists set to assess his injury and the possibility of surgery.
That is a blow for Ghana, too, who hoped to have one of their star players available for this summer’s World Cup.
In the immediate term, Spurs will have to do without Kudus, whose potential return had offered some hope in a season beset by persistent injuries throughout the squad.
The 25-year-old scored two goals and provided five assists in his 19 Premier League appearances before getting injured.
And Spurs have certainly lacked a wide player with Kudus’ creative capabilities in the weeks since.
De Zerbi opted to play Randal Kolo Muani on the right at Sunderland, with Richarlison to the left of striker Dominic Solanke.
While the personnel are of a standard that would suggest Spurs should be higher in the table, they have yet to discover an attacking formula that works.
De Zerbi will hope he can against his former club this weekend, but he will have to do so without the sidelined Kudus.
