Vincent Janssen will be recalled to Tottenham’s Premier League squad as Mauricio Pochettino has performed a surprising U-turn over the outcast striker.
The Netherlands international, who spent most of last season on loan at Fenerbahce, has not played for Tottenham since August 2017.
He was not named in Spurs’ Premier league squad for the opening half of the campaign, and has been forced to train with the club’s Under-23s having been banished from the first-team picture.
He was expected to leave Tottenham throughout the January transfer window, but, despite links to several European clubs, Janssen, 24, stayed in north London.
And now Pochettino will include him in his official squad list, which has to be submitted today, the Argentine confirmed.
“I think he’s going to be on the list, he’s going to be involved,” Pochettino said in a press conference.
“That is my decision, my decision that he’s going to be involved with the first team from today and he’s going to be like another player, involved with the chances if he deserves it to be in the squad or to play.
“For different reasons – but the principle reason was a sporting decision – one year ago we decided to send him on loan and then in the last year he didn’t play because he was injured.
“But I think after [it was about] trying to find solutions because the player wanted to leave the club and the club wanted to provide for him another place to play football.
“But in the end when that was impossible I think the most important thing now is to treat him [properly] because he’s a person and my responsibility is to manage people, not chairs or sofas or furniture.
“My decision is from today he’s going to be involved with the first team, to try to do his best, to get fit and be competitive, and he’s going to be one more in the squad and the team.”
Pochettino admitted he was a bit baffled by Janssen’s inability to secure a move away from the club but hailed his professionalism.
“Before it was so clear because he wanted to leave and of course he wasn’t in our plans,” Pochettino added.
“But now when you cannot achieve what you want I think it’s so important that he feels again that he can be helpful for the club, for us the coaching staff and try to get fit.
“If he can help us, perfect. If not he starts to feel he is involved with the first team again.
“Always he behaved well. That is so important, that he was very respectful with everyone.
“For different reasons he can’t go away – reasons that are difficult to understand for me.
“But in the moment he cannot agree with the club, or the club cannot agree with him, to find a place for him to play and feel happy.
“Of course I’m a person and we are people that always care, and my decision straight away was to invite him in and to open the door to the first team and start to be involved and feel like another player here.”
Pochettino was previously steadfast in his opinion that Janssen was not involved in his plans, even after injuries to Harry Kane and Dele Alli last month.
When Kane was ruled out until March with an injury picked up in last month’s defeat by Manchester United, Pochettino was asked whether Janssen would feature in the first-team.
“No, he is not in my plans,” the Argentine said, appearing to spell the end of Janssen’s Tottenham career in a terse statement.
Nonetheless, Janssen is back in the picture moving forward and he could feature in Saturday’s home clash with Newcastle.