The Kulusevski return has taken another reported step, with Standard Sport saying the Tottenham midfielder played in an 11-a-side training match at Hotspur Way last week. It is not a confirmed date for his competitive comeback.
The report, published on Thursday 8th October and syndicated by Yahoo Sports, says a team including first-team players faced a side drawn from Tottenham’s Under-21s and Under-18s.
What the Kulusevski return report establishes
Standard Sport says it understands Kulusevski took part in the match, a development first reported by the Daily Mail. The report does not establish how many minutes he played or describe his individual performance.
It places the session in the second week of the international window. That makes it a report about a training milestone, not a new first-team appearance on Thursday.
Kulusevski has been absent from competitive club and international football since May 2025 with a complicated kneecap injury. Standard Sport reports that his recovery required two operations and that an earlier return to training was interrupted by a setback.
A training game is not clearance for Old Trafford
For Spurs supporters watching the Kulusevski return, the useful distinction is between participation in a managed session and readiness for a Premier League match. This report supplies evidence of the former but leaves the latter unresolved.
It does not confirm selection for Manchester United, a starting place or a substitutes’ appearance. It also supplies no precise competitive-return timetable.
Those questions need a current Tottenham squad update or the matchday team sheet. A predicted line-up cannot fill the missing medical assessment.
What to check next in the Kulusevski return
The next meaningful update would clarify whether he is available for selection and what workload Tottenham consider suitable. Until then, the training match can be described as reported progress without turning it into a promise.
Our earlier report on the setback and Spurs’ cautious approach has the background. Read the Standard Sport report carried by Yahoo Sports for its attribution and limits. Supporters planning Saturday’s coverage can use our United v Spurs television guide.
Lead image: Dejan Kulusevski for Sweden, 2022, Rolandhino1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
