Tottenham Hotspur face a challenging start to the new Premier League campaign as they travel to the Gtech Community Stadium to face Brentford, with manager Roberto De Zerbi contending with a lengthy list of fitness doubts across his squad.
The visit to west London represents an early test for Spurs, who have invested heavily in the transfer market this summer, spending £237million on new recruits in an effort to move on from consecutive 17th-place finishes in the Premier League. Despite the significant outlay, De Zerbi's side head into the opening weekend without several key contributors due to fitness concerns.
Defender Micky van de Ven, who recently agreed a new long-term contract with the club, did not feature at all during pre-season following an extended break after the World Cup. The nature of his issue remains unclear, and he was notably absent from a training session on Tuesday, raising further questions over his availability.
There was some encouraging news on the injury front, however, with Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and summer signing Mateus Fernandes all involved in training in the build-up to the match. Udogie's participation remains uncertain, though, as the full-back has yet to feature in pre-season fixtures while De Zerbi manages his workload following a string of muscular problems.
Maddison, tipped as a contender for the captaincy following Cristian Romero's departure, is also being carefully managed as he continues his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained late last season. Although he has trained with the squad, his involvement against Brentford is far from certain.
Striker Dominic Solanke represents another doubt for the trip to Brentford. The 28-year-old has seen limited pre-season action after missing much of last season through a recurring ankle problem, compounded by a hamstring issue that ruled him out of Tottenham's relegation battle.
Fernandes, who joined from West Ham United in an £85million deal, has been dealing with a calf complaint since arriving for pre-season training in New Zealand and Australia. There is optimism he could be included in the squad, though De Zerbi has generally taken a cautious approach with players carrying knocks, mindful of avoiding a repeat of last season's extensive injury list.
That cautious philosophy is expected to keep winger Mohammed Kudus out of contention once again. The attacker has returned to full training but has not played a competitive minute since January as he continues to recover from a serious quad injury. His absence could open the door for young winger Mikey Moore to feature on the right flank, despite Moore being expected to depart on loan later in the window once Tottenham complete incoming attacking signings. The club's prolonged pursuit of Manchester City winger Savinho has yet to yield an agreement, leaving Moore's short-term future undecided.
There are also mild concerns surrounding Pedro Porro, who has only recently rejoined full training following his involvement at the World Cup. While not dealing with an injury, the right-back may lack sharpness heading into the fixture.
Long-term absentees Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski remain unavailable.
A possible Tottenham lineup for the match includes Kinsky in goal, with Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi and Robertson across the back line, Fernandes and Tonali in midfield, and an attacking trio of Moore, Gallagher and Tel supporting Richarlison up front.
Kick-off at the Gtech Community Stadium is scheduled for 5.30pm BST on Saturday, August 22, 2026, with the match broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (football).