Roberto De Zerbi’s Spurs Era Begins Amid Injury Concerns

Tottenham arrive at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday with £237million worth of new talent, a new head coach starting his first full season in charge – and the same old fitness headaches.

The Premier League opener at Brentford is meant to mark a clean break from the slog of back‑to‑back 17th‑place finishes. The club has backed De Zerbi aggressively in the market, reshaping the squad and the mood. Now comes the hard part: turning a lavish summer into points, with a patched‑up group and key players still short of sharpness.

Big spend, familiar problems

The Italian has spent pre-season juggling minutes, medical reports and travel schedules. Tottenham’s business has been bold, but the build-up has been anything but smooth.

Micky van de Ven is the biggest concern. Fresh from signing a bumper new contract, the Dutch defender did not feature at all in pre-season after extended post‑World Cup leave. The club have not disclosed the issue, and he was not spotted in training on Tuesday. For a side that leaked goals last year, uncertainty around their defensive lynchpin is the last thing De Zerbi needs.

There was at least a flicker of good news. Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Mateus Fernandes all trained ahead of the short trip across London. Each comes with an asterisk.

Udogie has yet to play a minute this summer. A run of muscular problems has forced Spurs to treat his workload with extreme care, and his involvement at Brentford remains in doubt. Maddison is in a similar boat. The England midfielder, now in the frame to become club captain after Cristian Romero’s departure, is still climbing back towards full fitness after an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ended his last campaign. He has been back on the grass, but whether De Zerbi risks him from the start – or at all – is another matter.

Up front, there is another question mark. Dominic Solanke has been used sparingly in pre-season and is again a doubt. The 28‑year‑old missed most of last season with a recurring ankle problem and then sat out the relegation run‑in with a hamstring issue. Spurs want him available for the long haul, not just for one fiery evening in west London.

Midfield muscle and a cautious approach

The marquee midfield arrival, Mateus Fernandes, has also had a stop‑start introduction. Signed from West Ham for £85m, the Brazilian has been managing a calf issue since joining the squad on their tour of New Zealand and Australia. Spurs hope he will be ready for selection on Saturday, but De Zerbi has made it clear he will not gamble on fitness after last season’s injury crisis shredded their campaign.

That stance hits the attack hardest. Mohammed Kudus has finally returned to training but has not played a competitive minute since January because of a serious quad injury. On that basis, he is highly unlikely to be risked this weekend.

Without Kudus, the door could open for Mikey Moore on the right wing. The youngster is expected to leave on loan before the window closes, yet Spurs are reluctant to sanction that move until they land their own attacking targets. Their pursuit of Savinho has dragged on for months, with no agreement yet with Manchester City for the Brazilian winger. Moore, for now, waits in limbo – and could suddenly find himself thrust into the Premier League spotlight.

Porro short, absentees long term

On the opposite flank, there are slight concerns over Pedro Porro. The World Cup winner has only just returned to training. He is not injured, but there are doubts over his sharpness and match fitness heading into the opener. De Zerbi must decide whether to throw him straight back in or hold him back for later in the month.

Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski are not options at all. All three remain long‑term absentees and are firmly ruled out of the trip to Brentford.

Even with the uncertainty, a likely shape is emerging. Spurs are expected to line up with Kinsky in goal behind a back four of Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi and Robertson. Fernandes, if passed fit, should anchor midfield alongside Sandro Tonali, with Moore, Conor Gallagher and Mathys Tel supporting Richarlison in attack.

Tottenham’s predicted XI: Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Moore, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison.

Injured: Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski.
Doubts: Maddison, Solanke, Porro, Fernandes, Udogie, Kudus.

Kick-off at the Gtech Community Stadium is at 5.30pm BST on Saturday, August 22, 2026, live on Sky Sports.

De Zerbi has his players. He has his platform. Now, with a fanbase desperate to escape the bottom end of the table, can he navigate the fitness minefield and turn this lavish rebuild into a statement start?