Yves Bissouma is poised to make his first start for Tottenham since mid-December when they face Wolves on Saturday.
The 27-year-old, a crucial cog in the Spurs machine earlier this season, has endured a frustrating, stop-start couple of months.
Having been sent off against Luton in October, Bissouma was given a straight red against Nottingham Forest on December 15 which resulted in him missing his side's final three games of 2023. His return was then delayed further while he represented Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Bissouma had malaria while playing at AFCON and was used sparingly by Mali, who were knocked out by eventual champions Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals. Following his return to English shores, Bissouma returned for a 27-minute cameo against his former club Brighton last weekend, with Spurs winning 2-1, courtesy of a 96th-minute goal.
Pape Sarr partnered Bissouma in Spurs's double pivot at the start of this season, and the Senegalese, along with Giovani Lo Celso, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp, have all been drafted into the midfield in Bissouma's absence.
Bissouma is now available again and will be hoping to re-establish himself as a key figure in the middle of the park for Spurs, who will give late fitness checks on Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro and Lo Celso ahead of tomorrow. Bissouma made just 10 League starts last season after joining Spurs for £30million.
This season, he has been exceptional, registering a pass completion rate of 91.1 per cent.
Bissouma has made more tackles in the middle third of the pitch than any other Spurs player this season — despite his two-month absence — but he must improve his discipline. Bissouma is both Spurs's most booked and red-carded player this term.
Five starts in a row have offered Bentancur the chance to impress in Bissouma's place, with the Uruguayan having fought hard to recover from an ACL injury he sustained last February.
But Bissouma's ability to stride out from midfield and beat the press was showcased when he appeared off the bench against Brighton. Saturday could see him unleashed from the start.
