{"id":229639,"date":"2026-02-21T09:20:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T09:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/21\/tottenham-player-nearing-return-from-injury-and-could-be-back-in-spurs-training-next-week\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T09:20:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T09:20:12","slug":"tottenham-player-nearing-return-from-injury-and-could-be-back-in-spurs-training-next-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/21\/tottenham-player-nearing-return-from-injury-and-could-be-back-in-spurs-training-next-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Tottenham player nearing return from injury and could be back in Spurs training next week"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.footballfancast.com\/tag\/tottenham-hotspur\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tottenham<\/a> could welcome back a member of their squad next week as the player in question targets an imminent return to training.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>Sunday&#8217;s North London Derby could not have arrived at a more dramatic moment in Tottenham&#8217;s turbulent season.<\/p>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:50%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor.jpeg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Igor Tudor will take charge of his first game as Spurs manager against their fiercest rivals, Arsenal, with the Croatian handed the unenviable task of steadying a ship that has been listing badly for months.<\/p>\n<p>Two managers ago, this was a club that had just won the Europa League.<\/p>\n<p>Now, Tottenham sit just five points above the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.footballfancast.com\/premier-league\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Premier League<\/a> relegation zone, having gone eight top flight games without a win.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas Frank paid the price for that miserable run last week. Tudor, the former Juventus boss, has walked into arguably the most pressurised debut of his managerial career \u2014 though history is at least on his side, having won his first game at each of his last five clubs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"arsenal-team-news-tottenham-mikel-arteta-max-dowman\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/arsenal-jesus-madueke-lewis-skelly-martinelli-fa-cup.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/arsenal-jesus-madueke-lewis-skelly-martinelli-fa-cup.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"440\" height=\"364\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Arsenal-Jesus-Madueke-Lewis-Skelly-Martinelli-FA-Cup\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/arsenal-jesus-madueke-lewis-skelly-martinelli-fa-cup.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/arsenal-jesus-madueke-lewis-skelly-martinelli-fa-cup.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>Related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.footballfancast.com\/arsenal-team-news-tottenham-mikel-arteta-max-dowman\/\" title=\"Arsenal likely without &#039;gifted&#039; player for Tottenham clash as injury return timeline shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tArsenal likely without &#8216;gifted&#8217; player for Tottenham clash as injury return timeline shared<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">His return is still a little bit further down the line.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Arsenal, meanwhile, arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with their own nerves fraying.<\/p>\n<p>The Gunners dropped points against Wolves recently and know that a defeat here could blow the title race wide open. Neither side is in the mood to give an inch.<\/p>\n<p>With Spurs captain Cristian Romero still serving a four-game suspension and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.footballfancast.com\/igor-tudor-dominic-solanke-problem-tottenham-north-london-derby\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lengthy injury list<\/a> hampering Tudor&#8217;s options, Sunday&#8217;s encounter promises to be ferocious \u2014 and difficult viewing for the home faithful.<\/p>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:50%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"826\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Romero-Spurs-Tottenham\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/romero-spurs-tottenham.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Yet, amid the tension and the chaos of a season gone sideways, there is at least one quietly positive story emerging from Hotspur Way, even if it has little to do with the first team.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"mason-melia-nearing-return-from-injury-at-tottenham\">\n                        <strong>Mason Melia nearing return from injury at Tottenham<\/strong><br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<p>BBC Sport&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/football\/articles\/c4g57dvgzv9o\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Nizaar Kinsella<\/a> is reporting that Mason Melia, Tottenham&#8217;s highly-rated new teenage striker, is closing in on a return to training as early as next week.<\/p>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:50%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"826\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tottenham manager Igor Tudor-1\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tottenham-manager-igor-tudor-1.jpeg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The 18-year-old Irishman joined Spurs in January from St Patrick&#8217;s Athletic in a deal worth \u00a31.6m, potentially rising to \u00a33.2m with add-ons \u2014 a record fee for a player departing League of Ireland football.<\/p>\n<p>His arrival had been long anticipated.<\/p>\n<p>Spurs beat off competition from Everton, Chelsea, Man City, Celtic, Genk, Bologna and Eintracht Frankfurt to land his signature, such was the level of interest in him across Europe.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to loan out fellow striker Dane Scarlett to Hibernian for the rest of the season was made with Melia&#8217;s imminent arrival firmly in mind.<\/p>\n<p>The only setback has been a minor back complaint that Tottenham&#8217;s medical staff identified when he first walked through the door. It was not considered serious, but the club were cautious enough to keep him out of any competitive involvement while it was resolved.<\/p>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:83.333333333333%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"1376\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mason Melia St Patt's stats (timeless)\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mason-melia-st-patt-s-stats-timeless.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>That period of patience now appears to be coming to an end.<\/p>\n<p>Once fit, Melia is expected to link up with the Spurs Under-21s initially, with the door left open for involvement with Tudor&#8217;s first team if he takes his opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>Given Spurs&#8217; threadbare attack and the pressure Tudor will face to produce results quickly, it would not be a surprise to see Melia fast-tracked if he hits the ground running.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"igor-tudor-dominic-solanke-problem-tottenham-north-london-derby\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/juventus-coach-igor-tudor-before-the-match.JPG?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/juventus-coach-igor-tudor-before-the-match.JPG?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"440\" height=\"364\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\" Juventus coach Igor Tudor before the match\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/juventus-coach-igor-tudor-before-the-match.JPG?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/juventus-coach-igor-tudor-before-the-match.JPG?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>Related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.footballfancast.com\/igor-tudor-dominic-solanke-problem-tottenham-north-london-derby\/\" title=\"Igor Tudor confirms another Tottenham star now has fresh &quot;problem&quot; days before North London derby\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tIgor Tudor confirms another Tottenham star now has fresh &#8220;problem&#8221; days before North London derby<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">The Croatian is set to take charge of Spurs for the first time on Sunday.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.footballfancast.com\/tottenham-mason-melia-nearing-return-from-injury\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tottenham could welcome back a member of their squad next week as the player in question targets an imminent return to training. Sunday&#8217;s North London Derby could not have arrived at a more dramatic moment in Tottenham&#8217;s turbulent season. Igor Tudor will take charge of his first game as Spurs manager against their fiercest rivals, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":229640,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6808],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-229639","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/229639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=229639"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/229639\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/229640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=229639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=229639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=229639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}