• Spurs say ankle ligament injury not as severe as knock sustained last year • Harry Kane could return in time for FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea

Tottenham Hotspur hope to have Harry Kane back in less than seven weeks from the ankle ligament injury he sustained in the 6-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory against Millwall.

Kane limped off early in Sunday’s match after he rolled the ankle under a challenge from Jake Cooper. The striker left White Hart Lane on crutches and with his right foot in a protective boot, as the club’s medical staff took the precaution to immobilise the joint.

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Mauricio Pochettino said the injury was similar to the one Kane had sustained against Sunderland in September last year, when he was ruled out for seven weeks. The Tottenham manager’s comments raised fears Kane could miss most of the remainder of the season.

He could not undergo a scan on Monday because the swelling was too severe and tests on Tuesday confirmed the ligaments in the ankle had again been damaged. However, the club said the injury was not as bad as it had been the previous time.

“We can confirm Harry Kane sustained ligament damage to his right ankle,” Tottenham said in a statement. “The injury is similar to the one suffered by the forward against Sunderland in September last year. However, it is not considered to be as severe. Harry will continue to be assessed by our medical staff while he undergoes his rehabilitation at our training centre.”

If Kane were to miss seven weeks from the date of the injury, he would return in time for the Premier League visit of Arsenal on 30 April. However, Tottenham’s bulletin has raised the possibility of him being back for the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on the weekend of 22-23 April – or earlier.

Kane is the joint highest scorer in the Premier League with 19 goals – level with Everton’s Romelu Lukaku – and Pochettino knows the forward will be a big absence. In the meantime, the manager is expected to start with Son Heung-min as his centre-forward.

Kane’s injury is also a blow for England, who have a friendly in Germany on 22 March and a home World Cup qualifier against Lithuania four days later.