Tottenham Hotspur head into the new Premier League campaign still grappling with a lengthy injury list, even as pre-season results offered some encouragement under manager Roberto De Zerbi. Spurs beat Hoffenheim in a friendly played in front of supporters before following up with a 2-2 draw against the same opposition in a closed-doors match at Hotspur Way.
There had been doubts over whether new £85million signing Mateus Fernandes, who joined from West Ham, would be ready for the start of the season, but he eased those concerns by playing a full 90 minutes alongside Rodrigo Bentancur in central midfield. James Maddison, continuing his recovery from ACL surgery, featured as a false nine for the first half, while Kevin Danso, Ben Davies and Souza all got minutes in defense and Pape Matar Sarr operated in the No.10 role. In the earlier fixture, Mathys Tel impressed with two assists and Mikey Moore scored twice ahead of a possible loan departure, while big-money arrival Sandro Tonali and new defensive recruits Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson all came through unscathed.
Despite the positive team news, several key players remain sidelined. Xavi Simons, who ruptured his ACL against Wolves in April, is not expected to feature again until January 2027, though he did appear pitchside to greet fans before the Hoffenheim clash. Wilson Odobert faces a similarly long road back after suffering the same type of injury against Newcastle in February; he has posted images of himself back in training boots, but a genuine return remains around six months away.
There is more optimism surrounding Mohammed Kudus, who has been out since January with a stubborn quad tendon problem. The Ghanaian, signed from West Ham last year, has been seen striking balls in training and could be back in contention for the August 26 home fixture against Charlton. De Zerbi confirmed the winger's progress during Tottenham's tour of Australia, saying: "Kudus is very close, I think. When we come back to London, he will be available to start to work with us. It is a great thing for us because Kudus is another important player."
Dejan Kulusevski, who has not played for Spurs in 15 months due to a complex patella issue, has also been spotted doing shooting drills alongside Kudus, fueling hope of an eventual comeback. However, De Zerbi urged caution, telling reporters in Australia: "Kulusevski, when he is fit and right, he's one of the best players we have in the squad. We have to see in the next couple of weeks. I wouldn't like to put too much pressure on him to accelerate the process of rehab, but I hope he can be available as early as possible. But after one season, one complete season, without games, we have to analyse better and better and don't take risks for sure." A return before late 2026 looks unlikely.
Micky van de Ven's situation has become a growing concern after the defender missed every pre-season friendly, including matches against Getafe and Hoffenheim, following his late return from World Cup duty with the Netherlands. De Zerbi indicated after a win over Sydney FC that Van de Ven, along with Danso, Dominic Solanke and Van Hecke, was not yet risk-free for selection, though he suggested some could feature against Chelsea. Van de Ven ultimately sat out that fixture and is now targeted for a possible return on August 22 away at Brentford.
Left-back Destiny Udogie has similarly missed the entirety of pre-season after picking up what De Zerbi described as a minor issue, with no clear timeline given for his return, tentatively pointed toward the August 26 away trip to Charlton.
Striker Dominic Solanke, hampered by a persistent ankle injury throughout last season, has managed just two pre-season appearances, his most recent coming against Chelsea in Australia. Reflecting on his fitness struggles, Solanke said: "I feel good. It was a very tough year last year for me. I missed pretty much the majority of the season with injuries. I'm focused on staying fit this year and hopefully I can do that. I want to have a much better year this year. I'm feeling good and hopefully I can stay fit and have a great year." He too is pencilled in for a potential return against Charlton on August 26.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.