Dejan Kulusevski’s World Cup race looks increasingly fragile after Roberto De Zerbi said it is hard to see him playing this season at all. Kulusevski has been out since May 2025 with a patella injury, and he also underwent a second surgery on his knee during the March international break. De Zerbi did leave a small door open, saying he had texted the player after the Aston Villa game and hoped he could return to continue rehab next week.
Why Kulusevski’s timeline is a real problem
The issue is not just the injury itself, it is the calendar. De Zerbi said, “For me, it’s difficult to understand how he can play at the World Cup if he didn’t play any games this season.” That is the bluntest reading of the situation, even if he also said he hoped Kulusevski could be available for Tottenham's last game. For Sweden, that is hardly the kind of update they wanted.
Richarlison’s situation was calmer. He missed training on Wednesday afternoon after being substituted late on at Villa Park, but De Zerbi said that was down to fatigue after he “worked very hard” against Aston Villa. He added that Richarlison “was playing very well” and was “important in the set-pieces”, which fits the broader picture of a player doing heavy lifting rather than one dealing with a fresh injury scare.
Why the rest of the update still matters for Tottenham
The result at Villa Park also changed the mood around the club. Tottenham moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win away to Aston Villa, and they still sit 17th on 37 points from 35 games. Their final two league fixtures are away to Chelsea and at home to Everton, so this is not a part of the season where any fitness update can be brushed aside.
Richarlison has made 30 Premier League appearances this season and scored 10 goals, which helps explain why De Zerbi is managing his load carefully. The fatigue call makes sense on those numbers. Kulusevski, by contrast, is still fighting the clock, and the best-case reading is only that a rehab return next week might put him back around the squad before the season is over. That is a long way from being ready for Sweden's World Cup plans.
The cleaner read here is that Tottenham have one player being managed and another whose season may already be running out of time. The final judgement on Kulusevski will depend on whether that rehab return actually happens, and whether he gets any minutes before the season ends.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
