Your morning Tottenham Hotspur digest on Sunday, December 18.
Djed Spence chance
Danny Murphy believes Antonio Conte should give Djed Spence a chance at Tottenham before turning to alternatives in the transfer market.
"Denzel Dumfries won’t be that much of a great signing. I think he is a good player, but is he better than what they've got? I don't think he's that much better. Tottenham spent £20million on Djed Spence and he has not been given a game yet. He possesses all the qualities Dumfries has got, why not give him a go?
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"Spending more money does seem a bit strange for the Spurs at this point," Murphy said to Lord Ping. "Football doesn't always go down the logical path in terms of signing."
Richarlison injury blow
Tottenham are set to be without Richarlison for around five to six weeks after the attacker suffered a hamstring injury at the World Cup, football.london understands. A key player in the Brazil team, the 25-year-old picked up the issue in the warm-up before his country's World Cup quarter-final clash against Croatia.
Richarlison still managed to play 84 minutes of the contest before he was eventually withdrawn in the closing stages. Following Brazil's World Cup exit, the summer signing was back at Hotspur Way on Monday to find out the extent of his hamstring injury.
Following a scan on the problem, football.london understands that he will be out for a period of around five to six weeks as a result. The news will come as a major blow to Antonio Conte as the Brazilian missed a month of football prior to the World Cup with a calf injury sustained against former club Everton.
Things spotted in Spurs training
Preparing for the return of Premier League football with two friendly matches at Hotspur Way over the past week, Antonio Conte has still to see Fraser Forster, Ryan Sessegnon, Emerson Royal and Lucas Moura back on the pitch for Tottenham.
Sessegnon had returned to outside training leading up to the Motherwell game but was training on his own away from the team, with the other three sustaining minor knocks and unable to play a part in both matches.
Although there appeared to be no sign of Lucas in the training video or photos released by the club, Forster was working with fellow shot-stoppers Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman and Emerson took part in an energetic training session.
Sessegnon looked to be working away from the group once again, however, as he builds his way back to fitness after picking up an injury in the Carabao Cup game at Nottingham Forest.
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