Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Micky van de Ven is available to feature for Spurs ahead of the club’s FA Cup third round clash with Burnley.
The Dutch defender has not featured since the 4-1 defeat to Chelsea on November 6 after sustaining a hamstring injury, but has returned to first-team training.
Van de Ven’s return is a timely boost for Tottenham, who are without fellow centre-back Cristian Romero for the next month. Spurs used full-backs Emerson Royal and Ben Davies as makeshift central defenders for the 3-1 win over Bournemouth at the weekend.
“Micky has trained this week. I’m not sure about Friday’s game, he might be involved in the squad,” Postecoglou said at his pre-match press conference.
“It is good to get him back but obviously he has missed a fair bit so we will have to be careful with him.”
Spurs are set to be without 10 first-team players for the clash with the Clarets, though various injuries and international commitments. Argentine teenager Alejo Veliz is the latest to have joined the club’s growing list of absentees.
“He has hurt his knee, he doesn’t require surgery but he will be out for a couple of months,” Postecoglou said on the striker.
“It is disappointing for him, he had worked really hard to wait for his opportunity and we could see he was developing.”
