September 11, 2026, 1:18 PM
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has received a timely fitness boost ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Everton, with James Maddison available again and Mohammed Kudus nearing a first start after an extended absence. Spurs remain winless and goalless after three league games, making the visit of Everton a significant opportunity to begin their season.
Maddison has returned to contention after recovering from the shoulder injury he suffered in the opening-weekend defeat to Brentford. The midfielder missed Tottenham’s following matches against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, but De Zerbi confirmed that he is now available for selection.
Kudus is also progressing well after several months out with a quad injury. The Ghana international has made substitute appearances against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, and De Zerbi said he is “very close” to being ready to start against Everton.
Dominic Solanke is continuing to build match fitness after his long injury lay-off. The striker has not started since being forced off 40 minutes into Tottenham’s victory over Wolves in April, but he could be in a position to feature alongside Omar Marmoush as De Zerbi searches for a more effective attacking combination.
The positive update was tempered by a new injury to Mykhailo Mudryk. The Ukraine winger suffered an ankle problem in training after making his first competitive appearance in more than 600 days as a substitute at Nottingham Forest. He is expected to miss between four and eight weeks.
“It was a stupid injury for Mudryk, and we hope he can be back as soon as possible,” De Zerbi said. “He felt pain in the ankle, and then after two days he had the medical check and we knew the problem. After a long time out, we knew it could be difficult for him to come back as a normal player.”
Dejan Kulusevski remains unavailable after a minor setback in his recovery from a long-term knee injury. The Sweden international has not trained with the main group during the past week, although De Zerbi stressed that the issue is not a major concern.
“Kulusevski is not working with us in the last week,” De Zerbi said. “It is not a big problem, it is the normal problem when one player is out for a long time.”
Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons also remain out, leaving De Zerbi with limited options in several attacking positions. Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie are additional doubts after the pair were assessed late in the build-up to the match.
Off the pitch, Tottenham have secured Lucas Bergvall’s future with a new long-term contract. The 21-year-old Sweden midfielder had attracted interest from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle during the summer, but Spurs rejected two bids before agreeing fresh terms with the player, who had previously been contracted until 2031.
De Zerbi welcomed Bergvall’s decision to stay, praising his development and attitude.
“I am delighted for the extension of his contract,” De Zerbi said. “He is working very well. He is a very young player, but he wants to improve every day and he is a very important player for us.”
Tottenham host Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 5:30pm BST on Saturday, seeking their first Premier League win—and their first league goals—of the season.
