Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has suffered an injury setback that will rule him out for the rest of the year, according to reports from Uruguay.
The 22-year-old, who just returned from a nine-month injury spell, will be sidelined for the next two-and-a-half months, meaning he will not be available until around March 2024.
Bentancur had to leave the pitch just 25 minutes into his first start since his return after a tackle from Aston Villa full-back Matty Cash.
His absence further worsens Tottenham’s already alarming crisis that sees Micky van de Ven and James Maddison out until next year. Ryan Sessegnon is also dealing with a long-term injury.
Richarlison is still recovering from surgery, while Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon remain on the sidelines.
Bentancur’s absence will become even more palpable in January when manager Ange Postecoglou’s first-choice starting pair Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr head for the African Cup of Nations with their countries.
Tottenham will be forced to make some midfield signings in January to avoid slipping further down the Premier League table.
They led the way after the first ten games but have lost the three games since then, dropping to fifth as Villa climbed over them this weekend.
Spurs face a fight to salvage a season that had started so well and held a lot of promise.
Tottenham and Postecoglou will be dying for the winter transfer window to come around so they can make the necessary signings to bolster their ranks.
Signing a defender is reportedly a priority, but they must add one or two midfielders after losing Bentancur.
