Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dejan Kulusevski could receive a six-month driving ban after being caught speeding in east London, with the Metropolitan Police stating that he has at least 12 penalty points on his licence.
Kulusevski’s return to football comes as he faces a potential driving ban, with the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder due to have his case sentenced at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court.
The Swedish international was prosecuted by the Metropolitan Police after being caught travelling at 43mph in a 30mph zone in the Limehouse Link tunnel on September 28 last year.
Kulusevski pleaded guilty to the speeding offence in August and has asked magistrates to allow him to retain his driving licence, citing his family responsibilities and the demands of his football career.
Why Dejan Kulusevski Is Asking to Keep His Driving Licence
According to written submissions from the Metropolitan Police, Kulusevski now has at least 12 penalty points on his licence, putting him at risk of a six-month driving ban.
Drivers who reach 12 penalty points can ask a magistrate to avoid disqualification by demonstrating exceptional hardship.
In an email to the court, Kulusevski explained that his family commitments and late-night journeys connected to his football career made driving particularly important.
The 26-year-old wrote: “My young family need me to drive them to various appointments and in case there are necessities to go to a hospital with them I have to be on hand.”
He also highlighted the demands of travelling to and from football matches: “I drive to work and back where the hours can be antisocial eg. I return from an away game very late at night.”
Kulusevski acknowledged that he had exceeded speed limits, stating that his offences were “mostly just over the varying speed limits in London areas”.
When Could Dejan Kulusevski Return to Tottenham Action?
The legal proceedings come as Kulusevski continues his recovery from the right knee injury that kept him out for much of the past 16 months, including the 2025/26 season and Sweden’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
The injury occurred following an incident in May 2025, with former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou initially describing it as appearing to be “just a knock”.
However, the problem proved considerably more serious, leaving Kulusevski sidelined for an extended period.
The midfielder returned to full training earlier this month but was not included in Tottenham’s matchday squad for their 3-2 defeat against Aston Villa.
Kulusevski has scored 25 goals for Tottenham since joining the club in 2022, following his move from Juventus.
Why Dejan Kulusevski Is Still Waiting for His Sweden Return
Kulusevski was left out of Sweden’s September Nations League squad after Graham Potter had previously expressed hope that he could return to the national team.
Potter explained that Kulusevski’s recovery would need to progress through his involvement with Tottenham before an international return could be considered.
“He is taking it step by step,” Potter said.
“First he has to be involved with Tottenham, and they are the ones who ultimately decide. They see him every day and can best make the decision.”
Kulusevski’s immediate priority remains regaining match fitness and returning to competitive football, although the potential driving ban adds another off-field issue as he works towards a return to competitive football.
