Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has admitted he is unsure when Dejan Kulusevski will return to the first-team.
The Sweden international wasn't in the squad for their trip to Crystal Palace for the second successive match through injury following his 90-minute runout in the 2-2 draw with Brentford following the World Cup break.
Kulusevski has established himself as one of the key members of Conte's attack since arriving from Juventus. This season, he has scored once and provided five assists in 10 Premier League matches.
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With the North London Derby against Arsenal looming, it sheds doubt on whether he will feature in that crunch match as the Premier League table begins to take shape.
Following their recent results, Spurs have dropped to fifth after Manchester United leapfrogged them before moving five points clear since the restart of domestic football.
Speaking ahead of their clash with Crystal Palace, Conte said: "I don't know honestly, I don't know. I don't know because our medical department told me this morning he is not available. I don't know how close he is to coming back with him."
The Italian tactician is expected to ring the changes for their FA Cup encounter with Portsmouth on Saturday. But in 11 days time, they host their fierce rivals which could aid or impact their hopes of Champions League football next season.
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