Tottenham's Quiet International Window: Key Players Stay Home
Tottenham’s international picture looks unusually quiet this window – and that might be exactly what Ange Postecoglou wants.
Only two senior Spurs players have been called up so far, both heading to the same camp. Dutch boss Xavi Hernandez has selected central defenders Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke for the Netherlands, rewarding their form at the heart of Tottenham’s back line.
For others, the break will look very different.
Porro ruled out, Kudus stays home by choice
Pedro Porro’s absence was inevitable. The right-back limped out of Tottenham’s 2-3 home defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, and Spain have since removed him from their squad. No gamble, no late fitness test drama – just a straightforward decision to protect a key player.
Mohammed Kudus’ situation is more intriguing.
As reported by Alasdair Gold of Football.London, Kudus has voluntarily withdrawn from the Ghana squad to focus on his recovery and fitness work in London. He has not started a match since before his injury last season, but his cameos have been edging upwards in quality and influence.
Saturday felt like a turning point. Kudus came off the bench, grabbed an assist and saw another chalked off for offside in what was comfortably his sharpest display of the campaign. On that evidence, he could easily have used AFCON qualifiers as a platform to build rhythm.
Instead, he has chosen Spurs.
Three weeks at Hotspur Way, away from the demands of international travel and competitive minutes for Ghana, offers a controlled environment to push towards full match fitness. For Tottenham, the message is clear: one of their most gifted attackers is prioritising club over country at a crucial stage of his return.
England recognition for academy duo
While the senior call-up list is short, the academy has delivered its own headline.
Defender Malachi Hardy and forward Luca Williams-Barnett have both been selected for England U19, the first time either has reached that age group at international level. Both are already well known inside the club.
Hardy impressed during preseason, banking significant minutes and catching the eye with his composure and athleticism. Williams-Barnett, widely regarded as one of the standout talents in the academy, has been training with the first team and is edging closer to a breakthrough, even if he has yet to make a Premier League bench.
For Tottenham, it’s a neat snapshot of where the squad sits right now: a trimmed-down senior group largely staying home, a couple of key defenders flying out with the Netherlands, and two teenagers stepping onto the England pathway.
Fewer air miles. More time on the training pitch. And for players like Kudus and those academy prospects, this break could shape what comes next in Spurs’ season.
