Toby Alderweireld could make his return for Tottenham in their Premier League home match with Swansea on Saturday.
The defender has not played since suffering a knee injury on October 15, and Spurs have won only one of nine matches in his absence.
Spurs head coach Mauricio Pochettino says Alderweireld has been training with the first team this week but will be assessed ahead of the weekend clash.
he potential return of Alderweireld could be a much-needed boost for Spurs, who suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season at Chelsea last week, days after being knocked out of the Champions League.
Swansea have not beaten Spurs since promotion to the top flight in 2011, but they did end their winless run with a dramatic 5-4 victory over Crystal Palace last weekend.
The win was Swansea’s first in the league since the opening day of the season, and manager Bob Bradley is braced for a “critical period between now and the beginning of the new year”.
“There are a lot of important matches,” he said. “It’s a busy schedule through the holidays, and it’s an opportunity for us to turn things around.”
While Alderweireld could return for Spurs, Ben Davies (ankle) and Erik Lamela (hip) remain out with injuries.
Danny Rose is available again after serving a suspension.
Swansea are likely to be without midfielder Ki Sung-yueng after he suffered a broken toe before the win over Palace.
(Sky Sports)
