Ivan Perisić ACL injury shock: will veteran’s absence be a key loss for high-flying Spurs

It was all going so well. 2nd place in the Premier League and playing a style of football which has Tottenham Hotspur fans licking their lips. However, the injury bug has just bitten at the worst possible time.

According to trusted football reporter legend Fabrizio Romano, the experienced and much-respected Croatian left-winger Perisić suffered a painful non-contact ACL injury in training and will miss the rest of the season as he faces approximately 6 months on the sidelines.

After being a super sub for the whole season and impacting twice in the fantastic 2-1 win over the luckless Sheffield United this past weekend, the signs were that the 34-year-old was going to continue to be a key cog on the left for Spurs.

With the rise of 22-year-old Italian International Destiny Udogie, getting 90 minutes was always going to be an issue for Perisić. However, he’s embraced a leader mentality and has made a huge impact with his smart crosses and world-class corners against tired legs at the end of matches.

Facing North London rivals Arsenal this upcoming weekend without Perisić is a bitter blow to cushion against such a fearsome opponent who would love local bragging rights.

With speedy but oft-injured Ryan Sessegnon still a month away from making his comeback from left hamstring surgery, Spurs will be relying heavily on a better bill of health to keep their Premier League title chase flowing at full tilt.

It will be interesting to see if the 129-capped Croatian International will return to Tottenham after the summer. With his contract expiring in June 2024, Daniel Levy will have an important decision to make on whether to keep such an important player on the books.

Despite his age, Ivan Perisić is a classy performer who has a knack for finding the gaps in key moments and has been a welcome presence on the left since joining from Inter Milan in 2022.

Cruel luck has robbed football fans of seeing a quality player possibly assisting Tottenham Hotspur head back to Champions League football.

Sources: Premier League, BBC, Twitter, Transfermarkt