Tottenham Hotspur defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are on track to return for the Europa League last-16 first leg against AZ Alkmaar on March 6, head coach Ange Postecoglou has confirmed.
Romero has been sidelined since Spurs lost 4-3 to Chelsea on December 8. Meanwhile, Van de Ven’s last appearance came in the Europa League phase win over Elfsborg on January 30. It was his first outing since the same Chelsea fixture.
At a press conference on Friday, as Tottenham prepare to face Ipswich this weekend, Postecoglou provided an encouraging update on the duo’s recovery timeline.
“That’s about the time guys like (Cristian) Romero and Micky (van de Ven) should be in and around that sort of mark,” he said (via The Athletic). “Richy (Richarlison) and Dom (Solanke) are not too far behind.”
Spurs were drawn against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar earlier today, with their European clash coming after key domestic fixtures against Ipswich Town on Saturday and Manchester City next Wednesday.
Postecoglou also confirmed no fresh injury concerns following their recent outings, with Tottenham stars like Kevin Danso, Son Heung-min, and Rodrigo Bentancur recovering well.
Spurs are currently 12th in the Premier League. Tottenham will aim to build on recent momentum as they push for a strong finish to the season.
Tottenham must invest in their defence this summer
Tottenham must address the shortage in central defence in the summer transfer window. Adding Danso in January was a masterstroke, but Spurs need more competent bodies in their rearguard.
The North Londoners have two injury-prone central defenders – Romero and Van de Ven – and cannot afford to be depleted as they were in the second half of the current season.
AFC Bournemouth ace Dean Huijsen will reportedly be available this summer, and Tottenham should be all over a deal for the talented 19-year-old centre-back to bolster their ranks.