Tottenham's Pre-Season Preparations: Injury Concerns and Key Matches Ahead

Tottenham shut the gates at Hotspur Way this afternoon, but the work going on inside could shape the opening weeks of their season.

Behind closed doors, Spurs face LaLiga side Getafe in a friendly that is anything but gentle for Roberto De Zerbi. The tour of New Zealand and Australia is done, the jet lag is fading, and the countdown to Brentford away has started in earnest. This is now about detail, rhythm and who is actually fit enough to start when the real thing begins.

From Down Under drama to London grind

Spurs return from their travels unbeaten in four and with a statement finish. Their final game of the tour, a 2-1 win over Chelsea, ended with Richarlison stealing it with virtually the last kick of the match. They did it with 10 men too, after Kevin Danso’s red card. It was the sort of chaotic, emotional win that managers secretly love in pre-season: character, resolve, a little bit of edge.

Now comes a very different test. No crowd, no fanfare, just a training ground, a LaLiga opponent and a manager trying to knit a new-look squad together after a heavy summer of spending.

De Zerbi knows what happens if he gets this wrong. Spurs’ campaign unravelled last season under the weight of injuries. Too many key players, out for too long, at the wrong time. He is determined not to repeat it.

Injury puzzles and cautious calls

That determination is written all over his team selection so far. Destiny Udogie and James Maddison have not kicked a ball in pre-season. Maddison, in particular, is a concern. A hip issue has left him in a race against the clock to be ready for Brentford, and the clock is ticking loudly now.

Micky van de Ven, close to signing a new contract, has also been sidelined since his return from the World Cup. Dominic Solanke only just reappeared with his first minutes of the summer against Chelsea. This is not the smooth, seamless build-up De Zerbi would have wanted.

Yet he refuses to gamble. No unnecessary risks, no short-term fixes that become long-term problems. The Getafe game will offer clues: who is trusted to go again, who is being wrapped in cotton wool, who is nowhere to be seen.

Kudus and Kulusevski: two very different timelines

There was at least a flicker of optimism at Hotspur Way this week. Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski, both long-term absentees, were filmed running together in training. For a club scarred by last season’s medical bulletins, that sight alone matters.

Kudus has been missing since January with a serious quad injury. He is now back in full training with the squad and edging towards a return to competitive action. Even so, it would be a surprise to see him involved against Getafe. De Zerbi has waited this long; he is not about to rush him now.

Kulusevski’s road back is longer. The Swedish playmaker has not played for more than a year after suffering a patella injury in May 2025. Spurs are taking no chances. He is still not in full team training and remains some distance from match readiness. Hope is there, but patience will have to be too.

Fernandes back in the frame

One big piece of good news arrives in midfield. Mateus Fernandes, the £85million signing who missed the last two games with a calf problem, is back in training and in contention to feature today. For a manager trying to build combinations and understanding in the middle of the pitch, that matters as much as any result.

De Zerbi will want Fernandes alongside Sandro Tonali, feeling the ball, feeling the tempo, learning the runs of the players in front of them. This is the time to hard-wire those relationships.

A near full-strength side is the aim. The predicted XI underlines that intention: Kinsky in goal; Gray, Van de Ven, Van Hecke and Robertson across the back; Fernandes and Tonali anchoring midfield; Williams-Barnett and Gallagher supporting Tel and Solanke in attack. On paper, it looks close to what Spurs might field when the Premier League curtain goes up.

Maddison, Udogie and Kudus remain doubts. Their absence today would not be a surprise. Their availability in two weeks’ time will define the mood.

Quiet day, big stakes

Getafe at Hotspur Way will not be remembered as a landmark occasion. No TV spectacle beyond SPURSPLAY, no roar from the stands, just a 3pm kick-off on a Saturday in early August.

Yet for De Zerbi, this is where the season truly starts. Today’s behind-closed-doors clash, next weekend’s double-header against Hoffenheim, then Brentford away. Three steps, each one sharper, each one less forgiving.

Spurs have put together an unbeaten summer so far. The performances have been encouraging, the late winner against Chelsea gave the tour a jolt of belief, and new signings are beginning to settle. Now comes the harder part.

Can they get their best players on the pitch, at the same time, and keep them there when the real pressure hits?