Yves Bissouma Eyes Tottenham Comeback Amid Injury Setback and Champions League Exclusion

Key Takeaways:

• Yves Bissouma has yet to make an appearance for Tottenham this season under Thomas Frank due to a physical issue
• He was omitted from Spurs’ Champions League squad following his significant role in last season’s Europa League-winning campaign
• Bissouma is aiming to return to first-team contention before the start of next month, despite recent setbacks and competition for midfield places

Bissouma’s Fight for Spurs Future

Yves Bissouma remains optimistic about playing a part for Tottenham Hotspur this season, despite currently being sidelined by a physical problem, according to reports provided to SunSport. The Malian midfielder is entering the last year of his contract at the club and had initially been the subject of transfer speculation, with Tottenham reportedly open to selling him. However, Bissouma has decided to remain at the club and see out his deal in North London.

Challenging Circumstances Under New Management

Since the appointment of Thomas Frank as manager, Bissouma has yet to appear for the team this season. Notably, his exclusion from the Champions League squad came as a surprise, given his key contributions during last season’s Europa League-winning run. The warning signs preceded this decision, as Bissouma had already been left out of the Super Cup fixture against PSG due to disciplinary reasons – a move confirmed by Frank.

🚨🇲🇱 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Yves Bissouma (28) has been left out of Tottenham's squad to face PSG in the Super Cup final. ❌⛔️

Manager Thomas Frank: "He's been late several times, the latest time was just one too many." (@footballontnt) pic.twitter.com/g3OVWBTdmg

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) August 12, 2025

Increased Competition and Road to Recovery

With the summer acquisition of Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich, Bissouma faces mounting competition for a midfield berth, alongside Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall. Despite these new arrivals, sources close to the player maintain that Bissouma is eager to return from his current injury and force his way back into the squad.

Track Record of Resilience

This is not the first time Bissouma has encountered adversity at Spurs. Under former manager Ange Postecoglou last season, Bissouma spent a significant spell out of the first team following disciplinary issues. Nevertheless, he managed to regain trust and finished the season strongly, starting the final and earning Man of the Match honours as Tottenham clinched their first major trophy in years with a victory in Bilbao against Manchester United.

Latest Team Developments

Tottenham have made a bright start under Frank, narrowly losing to PSG in the Super Cup before registering a league win over Manchester City. However, a disappointing defeat to Bournemouth before the international break has tempered early optimism. Bissouma has been ruled out of this weekend’s fixture against West Ham, but is working towards a return to action ahead of next month in a bid to re-establish himself in the squad.