Time is starting to run out for Yves Bissouma to make his return to Tottenham first-team action before the end of the campaign. Now in May, Spurs have four Premier League games remaining and the player will be praying he can at least play some part after a nightmare spell on the sidelines.
On the eve of Tottenham's trip to Leicester City at the start of February, the club confirmed in a statement that the Mali international would need to undergo surgery to repair a stress fracture to his left ankle. A cruel blow to the midfielder after such a frustrating start to life at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spurs were delivered another setback two days later when Rodrigo Bentancur sustained a season-ending injury at the King Power Stadium.
Had Bissouma not suffered an injury beforehand, the summer addition from Brighton & Hove Albion would more than likely have been given a sustained run in the team alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Instead, Oliver Skipp is the player who has benefitted after starting the last 11 Premier League games.
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Playing a huge role in Brighton's success under Graham Potter, Tottenham made a real statement with the signing of Bissouma to boost their midfield options. Already taking their midfield to a new level a few months previous following Bentancur's transfer from Juventus, the signing of the 26-year-old appeared to be very shrewd and one that would give them even more quality in the middle of the park to help achieve their lofty ambitions.
Antonio Conte's decision to persist with Bentancur and Hojbjerg worked against Bissouma to begin with as he had to settle for a place on the bench, although the player didn't help himself in his first two Tottenham starts in the league with early bookings at West Ham and Brighton leaving him walking a tightrope for the remainder of the contest. Certainly looking far from the player that wowed at the Amex Stadium, Conte opened up on the summer signing in September and stated that Bissouma had been struggling with the tactical aspect at his new club.
"The only player that is struggling a bit with the tactical aspect is Bissouma, but also he is improving a lot in every aspect," admitted Conte. "I am sure when we start again and play 12 games, for sure he is another player I can count on but I try to take the best decision for the player because I want to protect the player."
He added: "If you compare other midfielders I have seen that other teams spent £60m, £70m, £50m. It depends on the view. I think that we spent the right money. Don't forget that we spent a lot of money on players that now have gone out on loan.
"It doesn't matter if you spend money, you need to have players to go into our idea of football. There are players that do this quickly like Richarlison, Lenglet, like Perisic and then other players that need a bit of time. Also the midfielder is a specific role for us, with the ball and without the ball. It's not simple. I ask for some moments, some positions. They have to be a point of reference in every moment of the game.
"The midfielder for sure, to go into our idea of football is maybe the most difficult position, but we are talking about a player that has great skill, good running. With the ball he's really good, defensively he has to pay more attention. More attention because especially we only have two midfielders and then they have to be good with the ball and without the ball, but I'm really happy with his signing."
Perhaps stifled by Conte's tactics and not given the freedom to play and excel like he did at Brighton, Spurs never got to see the best of the player under the Italian. His display in a three-man midfield alongside Hojbjerg and Bentancur against Liverpool in November was by far his best in a Tottenham shirt but he could never back up that performance in the games that followed.
Bissouma's injury came at totally the wrong time for him, especially with Bentancur himself sustaining a serious injury a couple of days after it was confirmed that the Mali ace would need to go under the knife. Although there is very little time for the ex-Lille man to play again this season, a return in one of the four games in the run-in would allow him to finish the campaign on a positive note at least.
However, it is unclear when exactly he will be back in action for Spurs. Asked by football.london ahead of the recent defeat against Bournemouth about Bissouma's recovery and his potential return, former acting head coach Cristian Stellini opened up on the player and the importance of respecting the time he requires.
"The injury of Bissouma is particular," explained Stellini. "He is recovering. He start to work but it is not easy to recover strength in the calf after an injury like this so we have to respect the time for Bissouma."
Last week the player himself issued an update on his recovery when taking to his social media channels. He said: "The last two months was really hard for myself but never give up I’m still working hard to comeback stronger than before. Thanks everyone who’s messaged me and give me support."
Although Spurs have only picked up one point from a possible six in their past two games against Manchester United and Liverpool, the team are now playing a more attacking brand of football under acting head coach Ryan Mason. Seeing an improvement in Son Heung-min and Ivan Perisic in recent weeks, playing in Mason's team would have helped Bissouma's game as there certainly wouldn't be as much focus on the tactical aspect as there would under Conte.
Given his woes at Tottenham so far and the fact we have yet to see the best of him in a Spurs shirt, Bissouma, in theory, could be like a new signing next campaign for whoever takes on the hotseat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. You certainly don't become a bad player overnight and the correct head coach could well bring the best out of his game in 2023/24.
There's still plenty more to come from Bissouma at Tottenham and next season could potentially be the making of him in north London.
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