BY NADIA NTIAMOAH
Ghana international Mohammed Kudus was forced to watch from the stands as Tottenham Hotspur endured a disappointing start to the new Premier League campaign, suffering a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The 26-year-old winger was unavailable for selection as he continues his recovery from a serious quad tendon injury that has kept him out of competitive football for several months. Kudus has yet to return to full training and was therefore unable to play any part in Tottenham’s opening league fixture under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Kudus’ latest setback dates back to January 4, 2026, when he started Tottenham’s Premier League encounter against Sunderland. His involvement lasted only 19 minutes before he was forced off after sustaining the injury. Since then, the Ghanaian has undergone rehabilitation as he works towards regaining full fitness.
His prolonged absence has also meant that Kudus was unable to participate in Tottenham’s pre-season preparations. While his teammates built up their fitness ahead of the new campaign, the Ghana international continued with his individual recovery programme, leaving him on the sidelines as the club began a new era under De Zerbi.
Tottenham had entered the season with considerable optimism after making a significant investment in their squad during the summer transfer window. The club reportedly spent around £237 million on new players, including the £100 million club-record acquisition of Sandro Tonali, as the London side sought to strengthen its squad and challenge for major honours.
However, the sizeable investment did little to prevent Tottenham from suffering a difficult opening-day result. Brentford produced a dominant performance in front of their home supporters and quickly exposed weaknesses in the visiting side.
Keane Lewis-Potter opened the scoring in the 12th minute, giving Brentford an early advantage and putting Tottenham under immediate pressure. The hosts continued to control proceedings and were rewarded again in the 33rd minute when Vitaly Janelt doubled their lead.
The hosts could have extended their advantage further after being awarded a penalty, but Igor Thiago failed to convert from the spot, with his effort striking the post.
