Toby Alderweireld isn’t expected to return to fitness until after Christmas, Mauricio Pochettino has revealed.
The Belgian injured his hamstring in Tottenham’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League earlier this month.
At the time, it was believed Alderweireld would be out for a few weeks.
But speaking in his pre-Arsenal press conference, Pochettino admitted that he does not expect the defender to return until after Christmas.
Alderweireld has been one of Spurs’ most impressive players over the last two seasons, but some fans believe his performances of late have been eclipsed by his countryman Jan Vertonghen.
Regardless, he will be a big miss – hopefully he returns sooner than expected.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are being linked with a 26-year-old Argentine centre-back.