Tottenham Hotspur: Tom Huddlestone Surgery Could Seal His Fate at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur have announced today that midfielder Tom Huddlestone requires surgery on an ankle injury. The England international has played just 62 minutes of Premier League football so far this season, despite apparently coming through his injury-dogged summer to participate in the Europa League playoff tie against Hearts in August.

The injury means he will be out of action for at least the next three months, and it does not bode well for his future at the club. Whether due to fitness problems or selection preferences, Huddlestone has fallen down the pecking order of central midfielders at White Hart Lane.

New arrival Scott Parker has threatened to strike up superb partnerships with both Luka Modric and, in the recent win at Wigan, a destructive one with Sandro.

That, coupled with the emergence of Jake Livermore and the added exposure being given to Tom Carroll in the Europa League, means that Huddlestone already had a battle on his hands to win back his starting place in the Spurs team.

Now that he faces another extended spell on the sidelines through injury, he will find it even more difficult to regain his spot.

Despite playing a key role in Tottenham's charge into the Champions League in 2009-10, in which he played more matches than any other outfield player, Huddlestone's injury-enforced absence in the second half of last season meant Sandro was given the opportunity to establish himself.

Since then, the Brazilian hasn't looked back. And, just as the door appeared to be re-opening for Huddlestone with Sandro's own recent injury problems, Harry Redknapp spent £5 million to recruit Scott Parker.

So does Huddlestone still have a future at White Hart Lane? Conceivably, upon his return, Tottenham will be embarking on an FA Cup run, the knockout rounds of the Europa League will be fast-approaching (which will surely see Redknapp field at least a slightly stronger-looking team than currently) and the battle for fourth place in the Premiership will be intensifying.

Spurs will need a squad of players, and Huddlestone can surely expect to form a part of that. Injuries to other players are bound to play a part at some stage during the second half of the season, but the pressure will be on him to perform when the opportunity arises.

Failure to do so could see any hopes he has of making Fabio Capello's squad for the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine fade fast.