LONDON -- Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has said he expects Erik Lamela to return to training on Friday and hopes he will be available to play soon after a persistent hip problem.
Lamela has not featured for Spurs since October and has been in Rome for treatment at his former club Roma since the first week of this month.
He was accompanied by a Tottenham club doctor and underwent a scan on Friday which revealed no serious problems.
The Argentina international this week used Twitter to deny reports that he is homesick.
Pochettino told a news conference on Friday: "Tomorrow we expect him to be here. We will assess him and see how he is.
"The last scan in Rome [on Friday] showed no issues. There's still pain in his hip joint, but now I think it's important to have him stay here with the group and push him to build his fitness.
"There are a lot of rumours. He asked to go to Rome. You cannot control all the rumours and your never know where a rumour comes from.
"He is very happy, and we are in touch every day. Maybe he was worried about some comments and he expressed that feeling on social media.
"We advise him to be focused and recover as soon as possible and forget what happens around him."
Meanwhile, Toby Alderweireld (hamstring), Danny Rose (knee) and Harry Kane (groin) will miss Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round home match against Wycombe Wanderers.
Pochettino hopes to have the trio available for Saturday's Premier League trip to Sunderland.
Alderweireld was replaced after 65 minutes of the draw at Manchester City with a tight hamstring, described by Pochettino as a "more a precaution than an injury," and a scan revealed no problems.
Kane, meanwhile, felt a "small problem" in his groin against City, while Rose left the Etihad Stadium with his knee in a brace.
Asked whether Spurs would make any new signings before the end of the transfer window, the manager said: "No. I told you from the first day that we are not thinking about signings.
"I also told you that if a special player is available and a very good option [then maybe], but it hasn't happened yet.
"There's a one percent chance of someone arriving at the last moment, but I don't believe we will sign players."