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Tottenham Hotspur face an injury crisis in central midfield after Moussa Sissoko suffered a hamstring injury against Barcelona and Victor Wanyama flew home with a knee problem. Spurs travelled to the U.S. for their preseason tour without Eric Dier and Mousa Dembele, on holiday after the World Cup and not due to return until Aug. 6 -- five days before the club's opening Premier League match. Harry Winks and Josh Onomah missed the trip due to injuries, while Wanyama, Sissoko and 18-year-old Tashan Oakley-Boothe have picked up problems. Sissoko limped off in the first half of Saturday's match against Barca, which the La Liga side won on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Wanyama, sidelined for more than four months with a knee injury last season, felt discomfort in the same area, leaving Mauricio Pochettino without seven central midfielders. "We need to assess Moussa tomorrow, in the next few days, to see what happens," the manager said. "We hope it's a minor injury, but he feels something in his hamstring. "Erik [Lamela], after the game against Roma, felt a minor injury but in a different muscle. We hope he can play against AC Milan [on Tuesday]. "Victor Wanyama has gone back with Tashan to London because they need to see the doctor there. We're going to assess him in the next few days and see what happens." Tottenham have yet to sign any players with the transfer deadline less than two weeks away, but Pochettino said: "We're going to see what happens in the next few days. "If you say we need to sign there [in central midfield], maybe. But with or without injuries that was our target after we finished last season -- to add some players with qualities that can help us achieve all that we want. With or without, I think we are going to." Pochettino refused to worry about the mounting list of absentees. "You need to be relaxed, working hard," he said. "My focus is on trying to help the team and develop the way we want to play and arrive in the best condition to start the season. Nothing's going to change if I change my behaviour or the way I act." He dismissed the idea of bringing Gareth Bale back to Tottenham from Real Madrid, saying he did not think it was realistic, and praised youngsters Luke Amos or Oliver Skipp. "They were fantastic. The reality is that they played against Roma and Barcelon fantastically," he said. "It's an amazing experience for them. To give them that experience is massive. We need to take positive things in a negative period about some injuries."
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