Tottenham's Injury Woes: Van de Ven and Porro Missing for Season Opener
Roberto De Zerbi will be without key defender Micky van de Ven when Tottenham open their Premier League season at Brentford on Saturday evening.
Spurs head to the G-Tech Community Stadium for a 5.30pm kick-off with a patched-up squad and a manager who, while encouraged by the club’s transfer work, knows his team are still a work in progress.
Van de Ven out, Porro missing, Sarr sidelined
Van de Ven has not played a single minute of pre-season and has been absent from open training sessions. De Zerbi confirmed the Dutchman will not feature against Brentford, grouping him with Pedro Porro among the definite absentees.
“Micky is not on the list tomorrow like Pedro Porro,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference.
Porro has only just returned to training after helping Spain win the World Cup and is not yet ready to be thrown straight back into club action.
There is better news elsewhere. De Zerbi listed James Maddison, Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie and Mateus Fernandes among those available, easing some of the concern around his starting XI.
“James Maddison is inside, Solanke inside, Udogie, Fernandes also,” he said. “Sarr not because he felt some pain, but nothing big.”
Pape Matar Sarr’s issue is not considered serious, but it is enough to keep him out of the opener.
Cover at the back and Van de Ven’s setback
Van de Ven’s absence would normally be a major headache, yet De Zerbi sounded calm about his defensive options, pointing to the depth that has been built over the summer.
“Today he worked with us, with the group and he is going very well,” De Zerbi said of the centre-back. “He suffered a problem during the pre-season of Australia, I don’t know if it was the flight, but not a big problem.
“We have Senesi, we have Ben Davies and in the right condition to play the game tomorrow.”
Marcos Senesi and Ben Davies are expected to shoulder the responsibility at the heart of the defence, with Van de Ven being eased back rather than rushed for the opening weekend.
De Zerbi: Spurs ‘not finished’ in the market
If the injury bulletin was mixed, De Zerbi’s tone shifted when the subject turned to transfers. Tottenham have been one of the most active Premier League clubs this summer, and the head coach made it clear the recruitment drive is not over.
“We have not finished in the transfer market. It's an important part,” he said.
Spurs have already brought in Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka, reshaping the spine and depth of the squad in one window. The next big move is expected to be Savinho.
Tottenham are closing in on the Manchester City winger, with reports of a £75 million fee plus £10 million in add-ons agreed between the clubs. The Brazilian is set to undergo a medical before signing a long-term deal.
De Zerbi refused to be drawn into specifics.
“It's not right to speak about players until they are official. Just to say I'm very happy,” he said when asked about Savinho.
What he did make clear was the type of player he wants and the standards they must meet.
“So far we have brought in some great players, great spirit and great personality,” he said. “You know better than me you don't win the games with big names and big players, you have to deserve to win the game.
“To do that we have to reach the level in character, intention and value and style of play.”
The message was sharp: the squad might be stronger on paper, but De Zerbi will judge this Tottenham side on how quickly it can turn that promise into a hardened, winning identity—starting under the lights at Brentford.
