Tottenham have been handed some good news in regard to one player's imminent return, with Roberto De Zerbi sharing a pre-Sunderland update.
Spurs team news ahead of Sunderland
De Zerbi held his first press conference as Tottenham head coach today ahead of Sunday's trip to Sunderland, and the team news was familiar in its bleakness.
The injury list that has defined Spurs' season is no shorter now than when he walked through the door, and De Zerbi himself acknowledged the scale of what he has inherited, admitting he had "not big luck" from the moment he arrived.
Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert all remain long-term absentees with barely any prospect of featuring before the end of the campaign, but there has been hope of a cameo for James Maddison before the final whistle of 2025/2026.
Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and Mohammed Kudus are also unavailable, with the latter now facing the prospect of surgery after a setback in his recovery — meaning the rest of the Ghanaian's campaign and even World Cup hopes are now in serious doubt.
De Zerbi had earmarked Kudus as a key figure in his plans before news of the potential operation broke.
"Kudus was in my head a crucial player, especially for the position," he said.
"But we have to look forward."
Meanwhile, the likes of Pape Matar Sarr and Mathys Tel carry knocks from the international break and are not certain to feature, but there is some hope Tel can play.
De Zerbi also confirmed that Rodrigo Bentancur has been on the training pitch but is not yet at full capacity.
In goal on Sunday, Antonin Kinsky will start in place of the absent Guglielmo Vicario.
The Czech goalkeeper steps in for the first time since his difficult Champions League appearance against Atlético Madrid, a night that ended with him being substituted after just 17 minutes.
De Zerbi will be tasked with restoring his confidence.
There was, however, one piece of more encouraging news from the press conference: Vicario could be back in the picture as early as next week.
Guglielmo Vicario in line for imminent Tottenham return after surgery
The Italian had hernia surgery during the international break, and the club had hoped he might be able to return within approximately a month of the procedure.
De Zerbi confirmed on Friday that Sunday comes too soon, but does hope that the Inter Milan target will return just days after their trip to the Stadium of Light.
"Vicario is not ready for this game," De Zerbi said.
"I hope he comes back earlier next week, but I don't know yet."
The phrasing is cautious, as you would expect from a manager who has already dealt with too many optimistic timelines turning sour this season.
But "earlier next week" is significant — it points toward a potential return for Brighton's visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Saturday, which would give Spurs their first-choice goalkeeper back for six of their remaining seven fixtures if all goes to plan.
Vicario's influence on this squad extends beyond what he produces between the posts.
De Zerbi's system at every club he has managed has required a goalkeeper comfortable operating as a sweeper and a ball-player from deep — qualities that Kinsky possesses in theory but has struggled to demonstrate consistently under pressure.
Getting Vicario back, even mid-week, would allow De Zerbi to implement his ideas properly and give the back four greater confidence in how they set their defensive line.