Tottenham Hotspur have contacted the Kenya national team to rule Victor Wanyama out from their upcoming duo of friendlies, the midfielder has confirmed.
The 26-year-old suffered an extended spell on the sidelines earlier in the season after being ruled out with a knee injury; however, was available for selection again in January.
Tottenham line up sensational swap deal for Manchester United ace – https://t.co/haFpeecMxM #THFC pic.twitter.com/EHsc4OWKOt
— White Heart Lane (@WHL_COYS) May 23, 2018
But, according to the north Londoners’ doctors, the middle of the park powerhouse needs further time for recovery, despite featuring 23 times since the turn of the year, including in the Harambee Stars’ 2-2 draw with Comoros in March, in which he scored both of the African outfit’s goals.
“I have just returned from injury, and I haven’t played many games, and I still need time to fully recover”, Wanyama told allAfrica.
“I don’t think I will be strong enough to play these games, but I wish the team all the best.”
“The club has already called the Kenyan team doctor and asked them not to use me, so I have to do what the club wants.”
This is not the first time Wanyama has been ruled out of international duty due to Tottenham’s demands.
Despite playing a starring role against Comoros in March, during the same break from domestic football, the midfielder missed out on his side’s 3-2 defeat to Central Africa Republic at the club’s request.
The Nairobi-born ace will be unavailable again this weekend when Kenya face both Swaziland and Equatorial Guinea.
There has been much speculation surrounding the destroyer and distributor’s future in recent times, with Premier League pairing Manchester United and Liverpool said to be showing interest.
However, those rumours have since been quashed by the player, who insisted that he intends to see out his contract with the club – which runs until 2021.
Despite boasting one of the strongest first-teams in the English top-flight, Mauricio Pochettino is thought to be keen on shoring up his midfield this summer, although it now seems that will be alongside Wanyama rather than without the Kenyan.