Italy international Destiny Udogie was left out of Tottenham’s 3-1 victory over Coventry City on Monday after suffering a knee problem in the previous weekend’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
The 23-year-old defender was substituted after playing 70 minutes against Manchester United, prompting Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi and the club’s medical staff to take a cautious approach.
“Udogie played 70 minutes (against Manchester United) and suffered a problem of (the) knee, and we didn’t take a risk alongside the medical staff,” De Zerbi said via the Tottenham official website.
Udogie has made six appearances for Tottenham in all competitions this season, playing a total of 283 minutes. His absence against Coventry meant the former Udinese defender was unable to feature as his side secured a 3-1 win.
The left-back’s availability for the next international break in November is now uncertain. It is also unclear whether Roberto Mancini will select him for Italy’s squad.
Udogie made his senior Azzurri debut in 2023 under Luciano Spalletti and has since won 12 caps for the national team. His most recent appearance for Italy came in June 2025, when they were beaten 3-0 by Norway in a World Cup qualifier.
His potential return is not the only concern for Italy at left-back. Matteo Ruggeri, who plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League, is expected to miss a month because of a hamstring injury and is therefore unlikely to be available for the Azzurri.
Lorenzo Bettoni is the Editor of Football Italia.
