Tottenham star Bentancur out for six months in crushing blow - sources

By Wayne Veysey

12th Feb, 2023 | 1:32pm

Sources: Tottenham star Rodrigo Bentancur out for six months in 'devastating' new blow

Rodrigo Bentancur is expected to be out for at least six months in a devastating blow to Tottenham, sources have told Football Insider.

The Spurs midfielder, 25, suffered torn knee ligaments in Spurs’ 4-1 drubbing by Leicester City on Saturday and an MRI scan on Sunday realised the worst fears of the club’s backroom staff.

Bentancur is now set to miss the rest of this season and potentially the start of the next one as he begins what will be a lengthy rehabilitation process.

His absence will be a huge blow to manager Antonio Conte, who is already without Hugo Lloris, Yves Bissouma and Ryan Sessegnon to long-term injuries.

Bentancur is arguably the outstanding midfielder at Tottenham and is regarded as one of the team’s best players by supporters.

The Uruguay international broke down 65 minutes into Spurs’ defeat to Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

He required oxygen on the pitch after being overwhelmed by pain when his foot got caught in the turf and turned his knee inward following a collision with Nampalys Mendy.

Bentancur eventually got to his feet and was able to limp around the outside of the pitch without the aid of a stretcher.

But the scan on Sunday shows he will now face a long road to recovery.

He will join three first-team stars on the sidelines.

Goalkeeper Lloris is to miss up to eight weeks with his own knee injury, midfielder Bissouma has just undergone ankle surgery that is set to sideline him for the rest of the season and Sessegnon is out for six weeks with a hamstring problem.

In other news, Sources: £204,000-week Tottenham star will follow Conte out if he quits.