Dejan Kulusevski in 2026: Net Worth and Salary, Injury, Transfer Value, Wife, Ethnicity, and FAQs

Dejan Kulusevski is, when fit, one of the most technically gifted attacking midfielders in the Premier League. The Stockholm born Swede has built a career that has taken him from the IF Brommapojkarna youth setup, to the Atalanta academy in Italy, to a 35 million euro Juventus transfer, to Tottenham Hotspur where he has now spent four full years. In this 2026 deep dive we look at his current life as he recovers from a major knee surgery that has ruled him out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, his Macedonian family heritage, his earnings, his transfer value, his very private personal life and all the questions fans keep typing into Google and AI search tools.

Dejan Kulusevski Profile 

Who is Dejan Kulusevski?

Dejan Kulusevski, known to fans across both England and Sweden simply as Deki, is a 26 year old Swedish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder and winger for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He is left footed, stands at around 1.86 metres tall and is best known for his close control, his ability to cut inside from the right onto his stronger left foot, his vision for through balls and the kind of articulate, high performance mindset that has made him a fan favourite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since his 2022 arrival.

He was born on 25 April 2000 in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, to Macedonian parents who had migrated from North Macedonia. He grew up speaking both Swedish and Macedonian at home, played his youth football at Stockholm club IF Brommapojkarna, and moved abroad to Italy as a teenager to join the Atalanta youth setup, which is one of the most respected football production lines in Europe.

Dejan Kulusevski Ethnicity and Heritage

Dejan Kulusevski's ethnicity is Macedonian. His parents both come from North Macedonia, the Balkan nation in southeastern Europe, and the family migrated to Sweden in search of better opportunities before Dejan was born. That heritage is a meaningful part of his identity, even though he made the football decision to commit his international future to Sweden, the country of his birth and upbringing. He carries dual citizenship of both Sweden and North Macedonia.

Stockholm has a sizeable Macedonian community, and Dejan grew up moving between Swedish and Macedonian cultural traditions in his everyday life. His full name is written in Macedonian as Дejан Кулушевски, reflecting his Cyrillic family heritage. He briefly played for Macedonia at under 17 level before switching to the Sweden youth international setup, where he has stayed throughout his senior career. Icon Polls notes that this dual heritage story places him among a fascinating group of European footballers who carry one nationality on the pitch and another in their family kitchen.

Dejan Kulusevski Career Journey

Dejan joined IF Brommapojkarna in Stockholm at the age of six in 2006 and stayed there for ten years before being signed by Atalanta in Italy in 2016 as a teenager. He worked his way through the Atalanta youth and reserve teams, made his Serie A debut in 2019 and was loaned to Parma during the 2019/20 season. His form at Parma was so impressive that Juventus paid Atalanta 35 million euros in January 2020 to secure his signature, with the player loaned back to Parma to finish the season.

He spent two full seasons at Juventus between 2020 and 2022, helping them lift trophies in Italy and gaining valuable Champions League experience. On 31 January 2022 Antonio Conte's Tottenham brought him to north London on loan from Juventus alongside fellow Uruguayan Rodrigo Bentancur, with a loan fee of around 10 million euros and an obligation to buy. On 1 July 2023 Tottenham completed the permanent move from Juventus for 30 million euros on a contract running until 30 June 2028.

His Tottenham career took a major step forward in the 2024/25 season under Ange Postecoglou. He was a key part of the run to the UEFA Europa League final, scored 7 Premier League goals, provided 4 assists, and was one of Tottenham's most consistent performers across all competitions. Sadly, a serious knee injury picked up on 11 May 2025 in a 2 to 0 home defeat to Crystal Palace ruled him out of the Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao. He has not played for Tottenham since that match.

Dejan Kulusevski Net Worth and Salary in 2026

Icon Polls estimates that Dejan Kulusevski's net worth in 2026 sits between 16 million and 20 million US dollars. That figure factors in his career earnings since his Atalanta academy days, his Parma loan wages, his two seasons of Juventus first team contracts, the financial benefit of the 35 million euro Atalanta to Juventus transfer in 2020 and the 30 million euro permanent Tottenham move in 2023, his current Tottenham deal running until 2028, his Nike boot sponsorship, his Sweden national team match fees, his agent led commercial activity with World Soccer Agency and the property and investment portfolio he has been able to build.

On the salary side, his exact Tottenham wage has not been officially published, but he is widely understood to be on senior Premier League attacking midfielder terms reflecting the substantial fees involved in his transfers. His earning power is among the more steady in the Spurs squad, and a return to full fitness in the second half of 2026 will be crucial both for his football future and for his commercial standing heading into the next round of contract talks.

Dejan Kulusevski Transfer Value

Dejan Kulusevski's transfer value has been one of the most fascinating data points in modern Premier League football. At his peak, after the 2022/23 season, his market value was estimated as high as 72 million euros. He has since dropped back to a more conservative range, with current 2026 estimates placing him between 36 and 58 million euros depending on the data source. The lower end reflects the impact of his ongoing knee injury and the fact that he has been unavailable for an extended period of time.

Despite that drop, his transfer value remains substantial because of his profile as a 26 year old attacking midfielder, his Premier League experience, his left footed quality from the right wing and his international standing. With his contract running until June 2028 and two seasons remaining beyond the current 2025/26 campaign, Tottenham still hold strong cards if a major bid arrives in the summer of 2026 or 2027. Icon Polls considers his recovery from knee surgery and his ability to rebuild his match sharpness as the single most important factor in his future transfer value over the next 18 months.

Dejan Kulusevski Injury Update

Dejan Kulusevski's 2025/26 season has been defined entirely by the knee injury he suffered on 11 May 2025 in Tottenham's 2 to 0 home loss to Crystal Palace. He was forced off after just 19 minutes of that match and his absence ruled him out of the UEFA Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao 10 days later. He has not played for Tottenham since.

He underwent knee surgery and the recovery has proven to be longer than originally hoped. He was initially expected back in late February 2026, then early March, but a follow up procedure during the international break extended the timeline. The most recent medical estimate places his expected return on 27 July 2026, which means he will miss the entire remainder of the 2025/26 Premier League season and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sweden qualified for the World Cup with their famous 3 to 2 victory over Poland, but Kulusevski himself confirmed in early April 2026 that the tournament has come too soon for him. Icon Polls considers his return to fitness ahead of the 2026/27 pre season as one of the most important storylines for Tottenham fans heading into next year.

Dejan Kulusevski Wife and Personal Life

Dejan Kulusevski has kept his personal life remarkably private throughout his career. There is no publicly confirmed wife, fiancee or girlfriend on his social media or in any of his interviews. For a player who has been a Premier League regular for four years and a senior Sweden international, that level of privacy is unusual but very consistent with the focused, articulate personality his managers and team mates have described over the years.

Tabloid stories have occasionally tried to speculate about his relationship status, but Dejan himself has never confirmed any romantic relationship publicly. He has consistently preferred to keep his focus on football, family, his Macedonian roots and his recovery from the knee injury rather than on the celebrity side of the game. His personal life is something he will share publicly only if and when he chooses to.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dejan Kulusevski

1. How old is Dejan Kulusevski in 2026?

He is 26 years old in 2026. He was born on 25 April 2000 and will turn 27 in April 2027.

2. Where was Dejan Kulusevski born?

He was born in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, on 25 April 2000.

3. What is Dejan Kulusevski's full name?

His full name is Dejan Kulusevski, written in Macedonian as Dejan Kuluseski.

4. What is Dejan Kulusevski's nickname?

He is widely known by the nickname Deki, used by fans, team mates and commentators alike.

5. What is Dejan Kulusevski's nationality?

He is Swedish. He also holds dual citizenship with North Macedonia through his parents and represents Sweden at senior international level.

6. What is Dejan Kulusevski's ethnicity?

His ethnicity is Macedonian. His parents both come from North Macedonia and migrated to Sweden, where Dejan was born.

7. Did Dejan Kulusevski play for Macedonia?

He briefly played for North Macedonia at under 17 level before switching to Sweden's youth international setup. He has only represented Sweden at senior level.

8. What position does Dejan Kulusevski play?

He plays as an attacking midfielder and winger, most commonly on the right where he can cut inside on his stronger left foot.

9. Which club does Dejan Kulusevski play for?

He plays for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.

10. What is Dejan Kulusevski's shirt number at Tottenham?

He wears the number 21 shirt at Tottenham.

11. How tall is Dejan Kulusevski?

He stands at about 6 feet 1 inch tall, which is roughly 1.86 metres.

12. Is Dejan Kulusevski left footed or right footed?

He is left footed, which is one of the reasons he is so dangerous when cutting inside from the right wing.

13. What is Dejan Kulusevski's net worth in 2026?

Icon Polls estimates his net worth is between 16 million and 20 million US dollars in 2026.

14. How much does Dejan Kulusevski earn at Tottenham?

His exact Tottenham wage has not been officially published, but he is on senior Premier League attacking midfielder terms following his June 2023 contract.

15. What is Dejan Kulusevski's transfer value?

His current market value sits in the region of 36 to 58 million euros depending on the data source, down from a career peak of around 72 million euros in 2023.

16. Is Dejan Kulusevski married?

There is no public confirmation of a marriage. He has been one of the more private senior Premier League regulars when it comes to his personal life.

17. Who is Dejan Kulusevski's wife or girlfriend?

There is no publicly confirmed partner at the time of writing. He has kept his relationship status away from social media and out of interviews throughout his career.

18. What religion does Dejan Kulusevski practise?

He is a Christian, which is consistent with his Macedonian and Swedish family background.

19. How much did Tottenham pay for Dejan Kulusevski?

Tottenham signed him on loan from Juventus on 31 January 2022 with a loan fee of around 10 million euros, then completed the permanent move on 1 July 2023 for 30 million euros.

20. When does Dejan Kulusevski's Tottenham contract expire?

His Tottenham contract runs until 30 June 2028.

21. Is Dejan Kulusevski injured?

Yes. He suffered a serious knee injury on 11 May 2025 against Crystal Palace, missed the Europa League final and has not played for Tottenham since. He is currently recovering from knee surgery with an estimated return date of 27 July 2026.

22. Will Dejan Kulusevski play at the 2026 World Cup?

No. He confirmed in early April 2026 that the tournament has come too soon for him following his knee surgery. Sweden are heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup without him.

23. Did Dejan Kulusevski play for Juventus?

Yes. He joined Juventus from Atalanta in January 2020 for 35 million euros and spent two seasons there between 2020 and 2022 before joining Tottenham initially on loan.

24. Did Dejan Kulusevski win the Europa League?

He was a key part of the Tottenham run to the 2024/25 Europa League final but missed the final itself due to his knee injury. Tottenham went on to win the title 1 to 0 against Manchester United in Bilbao on 21 May 2025.

Dejan Kulusevski's story is one of patience, technical excellence and quiet leadership. From a kid in Stockholm with Macedonian parents, to a Brommapojkarna academy graduate, to an Atalanta scout discovery, to a 35 million euro Juventus signing at 19, to a Tottenham fan favourite known across the football world as Deki, his career has been built on the kind of talent that earns the respect of every coach he has played under. The 2025/26 season has been the hardest chapter so far due to the knee injury that ruled him out of the Europa League final and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

With his Tottenham contract running until June 2028 and his return expected in late July 2026, Icon Polls will continue to follow the next chapters of one of the most articulate and technically gifted attacking midfielders in the Premier League. The 2026/27 season is the one where Tottenham fans hope to see the real Deki back at his best.