Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham squad have been training at Hotspur Way in preparation for tomorrow’s Europa League game against Ludogorets.
While that is the norm, one player was spotted amongst the group who has seldom been involved in training so far this season – Japhet Tanganga.
Tottenham’s academy graduate burst onto the scene last season, making his debut against eventual champions Liverpool.
Mourinho praised the 21-year-old afterwards, describing his display as ‘fantastic’ – he made a goal-line clearance after an effort from Roberto Firmino.
The Evening Standard quote him as saying: ‘First on the right and then on the left, first [Sadio] Mane and then [Mohamed] Salah, and I think he was fantastic so I don’t want to take any credit for that.’
Sadly, Tanganga has been suffering with a thigh injury, according to Football London.
That has limited him to just one appearance this season, which came in the Carabao Cup win over Chelsea back in September.
However, he is now fit enough to take part in training, and the cameras managed to snap him alongside Giovani Lo Celso at Hotspur Way today.
His return will come as a welcome boost to Mourinho, who started Ben Davies at centre-back in Tottenham’s last Europa League outing – a 1-0 defeat to Royal Antwerp.
It wasn’t entirely Davies’ fault, but the natural left-back made a costly error in the build-up to Antwerp’s goal. In his defence, the Welshman has only ever made nine career appearances at centre-back.
In that respect, it will be good for Mourinho to have another centre-back option present amongst the squad.
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