Tottenham have received approximately 15 competitive minutes from Mykhailo Mudryk before losing their deadline-day signing to an ankle injury for up to two months.

The 25-year-old joined Spurs on a season-long loan from Chelsea on 1 September, reuniting with Roberto De Zerbi after previously playing under the Italian at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Five days later, Mudryk made his Tottenham debut as a late substitute during the goalless draw with Nottingham Forest. It was his first competitive appearance in 20 months and was intended to represent the beginning of his return to regular football.

It has instead been followed by another period without it.

Mudryk reportedly suffered the ankle injury during training and has since been pictured wearing a protective boot. He is expected to remain unavailable for between six and eight weeks, potentially delaying his next appearance until November.

The winger arrived in north London as another attacking option for a Tottenham side that had collected one point and scored no goals across its opening three Premier League matches.

His pace and direct running were supposed to help address that problem, although Spurs will now have to continue attempting to score without him.

The injury is particularly unfortunate for Mudryk, whose loan was presented as an opportunity to rebuild his career under a manager familiar with his abilities. Tottenham planned to reintroduce him gradually after his lengthy absence, beginning with a short appearance at the City Ground.

That part of the plan lasted for one appearance.

Spurs signed Mudryk on deadline day, waited four days to give him his debut and then lost him in the following week of training.

His Tottenham career has therefore already included an arrival, a comeback and a lengthy injury absence, despite containing only around a quarter of an hour of football.

The club wanted to ease Mudryk back into competitive action carefully. Competitive action is no longer the immediate concern.