Mohammed Kudus watched from the stands as Tottenham Hotspur began their Premier League campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat by Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The Ghana winger was not fit enough to play and remains out of competitive action after suffering a serious quad tendon injury. Kudus has not appeared in a competitive match since 4 January 2026, when he started for Tottenham against Sunderland before being forced to leave the field after 19 minutes.
The 26-year-old was also absent throughout Tottenham’s pre-season preparations as he continued his rehabilitation. His latest appearance from the stands underlined the fact that he is still working towards a return rather than being ready to feature for new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Tottenham struggled badly in their opening match under De Zerbi, with Brentford controlling much of the contest and taking full advantage of their opportunities. The defeat came despite Tottenham spending about £237m during the summer transfer window.
That outlay included the club-record £100m signing of Sandro Tonali, but Tottenham were unable to match the intensity or effectiveness of their London opponents.
Keane Lewis-Potter put Brentford ahead in the 12th minute, giving the home side an early reward for their strong start. Brentford continued to apply pressure and extended their advantage through Vitaly Janelt in the 33rd minute.
Michael Kayode added a third shortly after the interval to complete a convincing victory for Brentford. The home side could have won by an even wider margin, but Igor Thiago struck the post with a penalty.
For Tottenham, the result provided a difficult beginning to the new campaign and left De Zerbi with plenty to address after his side were comfortably beaten. Kudus’s absence deprived the team of another attacking option, although the Ghana international’s injury means Tottenham must continue without him until he has recovered fully.
Kudus will now remain focused on his rehabilitation as he works towards regaining match fitness. Tottenham will hope the winger can return to competitive action once he is fully fit.
