Tottenham Hotspur is still hunting their first Premier League win this season, but Roberto De Zerbi just dropped the biggest news: Pedro Porro, Sandro Tonali, and James Maddison are all available for the Aston Villa match on Saturday. Finally, some key players are back in contention, and the Lilywhites desperately need those three points.
The Big Guns Are Back for Villa
This is huge for De Zerbi’s squad, who have been battling without some serious firepower. Porro, for example, has been sidelined with a ‘small muscular problem.’ That kept him out of the scoreless tie against Everton in the Premier League and the tough Carabao Cup third round loss to Liverpool. Talk about a gut punch to miss both of those!
Tonali was also out for that Everton match, having picked up a knock. And while Maddison did get on the pitch against Liverpool, subbing in for Conor Gallagher with about 15 minutes left, it was clear the team wasn’t at full strength. Now, De Zerbi is saying all three are ready for consideration, telling media, “Porro, Tonali and Maddison all available to play. As normal, we have to understand them in terms of physical condition.” You know the boss is going to be watching their fitness closely.
Kulusevski Nearing Return, Youngsters Still Waiting
The good news keeps coming for the midfield, with Dejan Kulusevski rejoining first-team training this week. Remember, Deki’s been out since May 2025 after a complex knee injury. He hasn’t appeared since, and seeing him back on the pitch has to lift everyone’s spirits. De Zerbi himself said, “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.” He added that Deki “deserves to play again,” and that the national break will be key for him to get “at top condition and over the injury.” When he’s fully back, he’ll be “like another new signing.”
On the younger side, 17-year-old attacking midfielder Luca Williams-Barnett hasn’t seen much action since a Carabao Cup second-round sub appearance last month. He didn’t even make the squad for the Liverpool game, and fans were definitely expecting him to get another shot. De Zerbi acknowledged Luca’s potential, saying he has “big consideration because he’s a good player and a potential big player.” He’s trying to find the “best situation” for Luca and the team, adding, “It’s a different job to manage a young player… You can’t put them in a bad condition, but you also can’t forget about them. I didn’t forget about Luca, and I didn’t forget about Malachi, but it’s about the right moment.” The kid’s got potential, but it sounds like we might have to wait a bit longer to see him consistently.
The Lilywhites host Aston Villa on Saturday, and with key players returning and a manager who sees positive reactions even in defeat, you know they’re ready to leave it all on the pitch. De Zerbi even noted the team’s “great reaction” after Liverpool’s second goal from Cody Gakpo, saying they “deserved another goal” and created “two big chances” at the start of the game. That fight is what you want to see heading into a must-win situation.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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