Igor Tudor has confirmed that Djed Spence remains sidelined ahead of Tottenham’s crucial clash with Crystal Palace.
Spence was absent during last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Fulham due to a minor calf issue, as Spurs failed to create breathing space from the relegation zone. The full-back will not feature against Palace, though the club is hopeful he could recover in time for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter with Atletico Madrid next week.
“No, Djed is out,” Tudor said on Wednesday. “Not ready for the game tomorrow. We hope for Champions.”
Spence’s continued absence is another setback for Tottenham, who are still dealing with an injury crisis and will also be without captain Cristian Romero. The Argentine defender is set to complete the final match of his four-game suspension against Palace after his red card at Manchester United.
Destiny Udogie is nearing a return following the hamstring injury he sustained at the beginning of February. Former Spurs manager Thomas Frank had previously indicated it could take four to five weeks for Udogie to regain full fitness.
When asked for updates on Udogie and Dejan Kulusevski, Tudor responded: “No, not yet. Kevin (Danso) is back, last game already, so he’s back. No other news, there is no other news.”
