A troubling report has come out from the Daily Mail's Chief Football Correspondent Matt Lawton. Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Scott Parker is reportedly at risk of missing the beginning of the upcoming Premiership season. Parker has suffered from a persistent Achilles injury, which kept him out of the end of Spurs' season and dogged him throughout the Euros. The Achilles may require an operation to clean out the area, which would rule Parker out of Tottenham's early fixtures.

Parker's absence would definitely mean a permanent starting spot for Sandro, with Jake Livermore likely to join him in the line-up (presuming the rumoured departure of Luka Modric). Potential new signing Gylfi Sigurdsson would help alleviate these midfield woes, but the Icelandic international is much more of an attacking midfielder versus Parker's deeper defensive role.

Parker's absence would also emphasize the need for a return from Tom Huddlestone, who missed nearly all of last season with ankle injury. Huddlestone's tackling and passing would add a needed element for a Tottenham central midfield that is seeing its depth challenged.