Kulusevski Returns After 17 Months, Credits Nervous System Treatment

Swedish midfielder Dejan Kulusevski has made a competitive return to Tottenham after a 17-month absence caused by a severe knee injury sustained in May 2025. The injury occurred during the final match of the 2024-25 season against Crystal Palace when a collision with defender Marc Guehi caused a piece of his cartilage to detach and move within the joint—a condition that could not be surgically repaired. Multiple setbacks during rehabilitation led Kulusevski to contemplate retirement, with a second procedure in March 2026 proving necessary before meaningful progress could be made.

Kulusevski attributed his breakthrough to treatment from a Swedish physiotherapist who focused on nervous system changes rather than conventional rehabilitation methods. He described a pivotal moment during exercises when he realized his pain had transformed qualitatively—shifting from debilitating to manageable—which gave him renewed control over his leg. "I went into the room to my wife and I told her, 'it's over, we're going to do this'," he recalled. The injury had been severe enough that he could not walk up stairs normally or attend Tottenham's 2025 Europa League final victory celebration, which he described as one of the hardest periods of his life.

Kulusevski made his first competitive appearances as a substitute in Tottenham's 3-1 home victory over Coventry and a subsequent away win at Chelsea in late October 2026. Tottenham staff impressed by his progress during pre-season provided additional support, helping him regain significant strength in a short period. Speaking ahead of facing Crystal Palace—the team he was injured against—Kulusevski credited manager Roberto De Zerbi and the club's medical team for enabling his rapid integration into the first team, while acknowledging ongoing daily stretching routines to manage his recovery.