Giovani Lo Celso was brought in on loan from Real Betis at the start of the current Premier League season but the player might not be fit enough to play against Man United on Friday.
The midfielder has so far featured in 19 league matches for the Lilywhites and under Jose, the 24-year-old has been an influential figure in the middle of the pitch.
But the Argentine international picked up an injury right before the lockdown began and his manager has now hinted that Giovani Lo Celso might not be fit to start vs his former side.
“I consider Gio one of the victims of the rules and one of the victims of the protocols, because he was injured in the end of the period before coronavirus,” Mourinho said.
“He was in very bad condition in the last three or four matches. He played for five or 10 minutes against Burnley, he wasn’t ready for Leipzig.
“Because of the rules, his injury isn’t one in need of surgery, it needed daily treatment and close contacts with physios and fitness coaches, but that was not possible for about two months, he was injured and he couldn’t recover from it.
“So, when the training ground opened and he started treatment. It was not enough to have him 100 per cent fit – only in the past days was he training with the team.
“Available for tomorrow? Yes, I think so, but we will test if he is going to play 90 minutes, start the game or not. It was a difficult process for him.”
With Moussa Sissoko coming back from injury, the absence of Giovani Lo Celso should not be a major cause of concern for the Spurs in terms of naming a starting XI but if the 24-year-old does not make it to the bench, then Mourinho could be under a bit of pressure.
Players will be prone to injuries after such a long break and if Giovani Lo Celso does not feature in the matchday squad then his manager will have one less player to turn towards in case he needs to make an emergency substitution or rest some of his starting players.
