Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has offered a positive update on his squad's fitness ahead of the upcoming Premier League fixture against Aston Villa, confirming that several key players are back in contention.
Sandro Tonali, who missed Spurs' 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool in midweek due to what De Zerbi called a "minor knock," is set to return to the squad. The Italian midfielder had featured in all four of Tottenham's league matches this season before sitting out the cup tie. Since his club-record £100million move from Newcastle, Tonali has occasionally struggled to maintain full fitness, prompting the club's medical staff to take a more cautious approach with players deemed at risk of injury this campaign.
Vice-captain Pedro Porro is also back in the frame after recovering from a muscular issue that kept him out of the last two matches. De Zerbi confirmed the Spaniard's availability during his post-match press conference following the loss to Liverpool.
Addressing the media on his squad's fitness, De Zerbi said: "Porro, Tonali, and [James] Maddison are all available to play. Normally, we have to understand the situation, but all of them are ready."
James Maddison, who has been working his way back with the team over the past couple of weeks, is another player available for selection, though De Zerbi was cautious about immediately handing him a starting role. When asked whether the England international could feature from the opening whistle, the Italian coach explained the need for patience despite Maddison's undoubted quality.
"James is working with the team the last 10, 15 days, maybe less than 15 days," De Zerbi said. "And even if he is a technical player, he needs to be fit, to stay in a good condition. When he arrives to the best condition, it's very important for us. As a personality, as a characteristic, as a quality, as an experience. The quality of his passes are different than the others."
Despite the encouraging news regarding Tonali, Porro and Maddison, Tottenham continue to be without several other players. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert remain long-term absentees, while Mykhailo Mudryk is expected to be sidelined until after the upcoming international break due to an ankle problem.
Dejan Kulusevski's situation remains the most complex of the group. The Swedish attacker, who has not appeared in a competitive match for Spurs in almost a year and a half because of a complicated knee injury, returned to full training with the squad two weeks ago. However, he was subsequently forced to pause his recovery after encountering what De Zerbi described as a "small problem."
Although Kulusevski is back involved in training sessions, a return to match action still appears some way off. De Zerbi remained optimistic about the 26-year-old's long-term prospects, emphasizing the importance of a careful, gradual approach to his rehabilitation.
"We have to manage Deki in the best way we can, but this is a great thing for us because he is a good player and a good guy," De Zerbi said. "He deserves to play again and we have to work day by day. Also for Deki the [international] break is important because when he is at top condition and over the injury, he will be like another new signing."
With Tottenham preparing to host Aston Villa, the return of Tonali, Porro and potentially Maddison to the matchday squad will offer De Zerbi greater options as he looks to build on the team's early-season league form following the midweek cup setback against Liverpool.
Based on reporting from standard-football.