Dejan Kulusevski has not played a competitive match since May 2025, when a complicated kneecap problem kept him out of the Europa League final and then forced him through two separate operations. On Friday, Roberto De Zerbi said the 26-year-old playmaker would board the team coach to Manchester with the rest of the Tottenham squad.
“He’s working well. Tomorrow he comes with us for football, he’s an example for everyone because he’s a player, but an example of how he reacts to the injury, the character,” the Spurs head coach said.
Kulusevski recently returned to full first-team training and took part in an 11-a-side internal match against Tottenham’s Under-21s and Under-18s during the international break. De Zerbi described his progress as something to be assessed week by week, and Spurs consider it highly unlikely that the Swede features in the matchday squad at Old Trafford.
Porro also travels, but still unavailable
Pedro Porro has also been included in the travelling party, even though the Spain right-back is nursing a hamstring injury picked up in Tottenham’s 2-3 defeat to Aston Villa. He pulled out of the Spain squad this month and is not yet available to play.
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Mykhailo Mudryk remains out with an ankle problem, while Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are still working their way back from anterior cruciate ligament injuries suffered last season.
Carrick under pressure as Spurs sit 20th
Tottenham arrive at Old Trafford in 20th place with two points, having drawn two and lost three of their opening five matches. They have scored just two league goals.
Michael Carrick’s Manchester United, 12th with five points, have won just one of their opening five league games and have conceded in each of their last three. Reports in England this week suggested the United head coach has until the next international break to turn results around, with Como’s Cesc Fabregas named as one option under consideration should the board move for a change.
Kick-off at Old Trafford is at 5:30pm local time.
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