When will Yves Bissouma be back for Tottenham? AFCON 2023 absence explained

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur have been one of the most promising sides in the Premier League this season despite boasting of multiple injuries in the side.

But Tottenham will be heavily hampered by the start of the AFCON 2023 in the middle of the English season as they'll miss midfielder Bissouma who'll be representing Mali at the tournament.

GOAL takes a look at how many games the former Brighton and Lille midfielder will miss for Spurs while on international duty.

How many games will Bissouma miss?

The Africa Cup of Nations 2023 will run from 13 January 2024 to 12 February 2024 and Tottenham Hotspur will play numerous games during this window.

Bissouma has been an influential cog in Tottenham's engine room and his absence could hamper their performances especially with the likes of James Madison and Son Heung-Min also sidelined with the former nursing an injury and the latter flying for the Asian Cup.

Bissouma's stint away from England could be determined by multiple factors with the focus being on Mali's performance in the AFCON. The 27-year-old already missed Spurs' win over Vincent Kompany's Burnley in the FA Cup due to his international commitments.

If Mali make it through to the finals, Bissouma would miss four Premier League games and one FA Cup clash while if his national side are dumped out in the group stages, the midfielder will only miss the fixture against Manchester United and the fourth round tie of the FA Cup.

Worst case scenario for Spurs: Postecoglou's men could be without their star midfielder for multiple Premier League encounters if Mali march through to the finals of the competition. If Mali makes it through to the knockout rounds and reaches the final stage, the midfielder could be out of Brentford's and Brighton's visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and his side's fixture against Everton.