Ghana international Mohammed Kudus made his long-awaited return from a knee injury but could not prevent Tottenham Hotspur from losing 2-0 at home to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday.
The 26-year-old midfielder came on in the 68th minute, replacing Mathys Tel, to make his first competitive appearance since January.
Kudus had been out of action since sustaining the injury during Tottenham’s match against Sunderland in January 2026. He had originally been expected to return in April, but a setback in his rehabilitation prolonged his absence to seven months.
The injury forced Kudus to miss 25 matches in all competitions, as well as Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Despite only playing the final 22 minutes against Newcastle, Kudus completed 11 of his 13 passes and recorded 24 touches. He also completed his only attempted dribble, recovered possession twice and had one shot blocked.
His return provided a significant boost for Tottenham after a difficult start to the new Premier League season, although the result left them facing a second successive defeat.
Tottenham began their campaign with a 3-0 loss to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. Saturday’s defeat means they have now conceded five goals without scoring in their opening two matches.
Kudus could be in contention for his first start since recovering from injury when Spurs travel to Nottingham Forest next weekend.
The Ghanaian’s return had been delayed beyond the initial April target after he suffered a setback during his rehabilitation programme. His absence meant he was unavailable for a prolonged spell at club level and also missed the opportunity to represent Ghana during the country’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Against Newcastle, Kudus was introduced in place of Tel with Tottenham already trailing. He was able to contribute in possession, completing the majority of his passes and registering a successful dribble, but his side could not find a way back into the match.
The appearance marked the end of a seven-month wait for the midfielder to feature competitively. Tottenham will now prepare for their trip to Nottingham Forest, where Kudus may be considered for a starting role as he continues his return to full match fitness.
Newcastle’s victory added to the pressure on Tottenham after their second defeat of the season, while Kudus’s involvement offered a positive moment in an otherwise difficult afternoon for the home side.
