Ghana winger Mohammed Kudus has made his long-awaited return to competitive action after a seven-month injury layoff, featuring for 22 minutes in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The 26-year-old came off the bench in the 68th minute, replacing Mathys Tel, as new Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi suffered a second consecutive defeat in the Premier League at the start of the 2026/27 season.
Kudus completed 11 of 13 passes, recorded 24 touches, and had his only shot of the match blocked. He also completed his sole attempted dribble and made two ball recoveries during his brief appearance.
Despite Kudus’ return, Tottenham were unable to prevent another disappointing result after their opening-day 3-0 loss to Brentford. The back-to-back defeats leave De Zerbi facing an early challenge as he attempts to establish his team at the beginning of the new campaign.
Kudus ends lengthy injury absence
Kudus’ appearance against Newcastle marked the end of a frustrating spell on the sidelines that began with a knee injury sustained against Sunderland in January 2026.
The Ghana international had initially been expected to recover in time to return in April, but suffered a relapse during his rehabilitation, extending his absence considerably.
As a result, he missed approximately seven months of football and 25 matches in all competitions for Tottenham.
His prolonged absence was also costly at international level. Kudus was left out of Ghana’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, denying the Black Stars one of their leading attacking players for the tournament.
Promising first outing
Although Kudus had limited time to influence the game against Newcastle, his involvement represented an important milestone in his recovery.
His 11 completed passes from 13 attempts indicated a relatively assured return to possession play, while his successful dribble and two recoveries demonstrated his willingness to re-engage in competitive situations.
The blocked effort also provided an early indication of his attacking intent as he works his way back towards full match fitness.
Kudus is expected to require further playing time before returning to his previous level of sharpness, but his first competitive appearance gives Tottenham and Ghana a positive sign after months of uncertainty over his recovery.
Spurs under pressure
Tottenham’s latest defeat compounds a difficult start for De Zerbi, who has now lost his first two league matches in charge.
Spurs conceded three goals against Brentford in their opening fixture before suffering another defeat against Newcastle without scoring in either game.
With Kudus now back in contention, however, Tottenham have regained an important attacking option as they seek to halt their poor start to the campaign.
For Ghana, the winger’s return will also be closely monitored, particularly as the Black Stars begin planning for the period following the World Cup.
Kudus’ immediate objective will be to rebuild his fitness and regain a regular place in the Tottenham starting line-up after a lengthy absence that interrupted his momentum at club and international level.
