Dejan Kulusevski rejected knee transplant during 500-day injury nightmare

Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski has revealed he rejected a full knee transplant during a grueling 500-day injury layoff that threatened to end his career.

The 26-year-old suffered severe patellar and cartilage damage at the end of the 2024/25 season, enduring two failed operations and pain so intense he doubted he would ever play again.​

Rejecting a transplant that carried a 50/50 success rate and a potential 18-month extension to his absence, Kulusevski turned to advice from Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic urged him to consult a specialist in Serbia, whose confidence ultimately steered the player toward recovery.

Kulusevski made his long-awaited return in October and has since made four substitute appearances for Spurs.

​As reported by talkSPORT, Kulusevski said of his ordeal: “The answer to why it took so long is that there are people who have never even come back from injuries like this.”