Here's the Tottenham Hotspur team that we reckon Roberto De Zerbi will select to face Hoffenheim in the first of two friendlies against the German side
Roberto De Zerbi must start getting his Tottenham players blending together in their final friendlies before the Premier League season kicks off next weekend at Brentford.
Spurs host Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim in two friendly matches this weekend. The first comes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off) and then the remaining group of Lilywhites players will face the rest of the German side's squad on Sunday at Hotspur Way in a behind-closed-doors match with a midday start.
A core group of De Zerbi's players have got more minutes this summer that the rest in a pre-season which has seen the Italian balance the load management for returning World Cup players and those coming back after a season with serious injuries.
The Tottenham boss will want to hand debuts in front of the stadium crowd to £100million man Sandro Tonali and £52million centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke. All eyes will be on who partners them in midfield and central defence.
De Zerbi will want to get Tonali and £85million arrival Mateus Fernandes to build their partnership ahead of the season but Lucas Bergvall has played more minutes than the Portuguese and could potentially get the nod. At the back, Micky van de Ven is yet play any part in pre-season so new arrivals Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson could play on the left of the defence, although Ben Davies has played for much of the summer and will be fitter and sharper.
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Ultimately whoever does not play in the stadium match is likely to get a prolonged runout in the second game at Hotspur Way on Sunday, but De Zerbi could look to expose youngsters such as Luca Williams-Barnett and Mikey Moore to some minutes in front of the crowd.
Up top, Richarlison and Mathys Tel have had plenty of minutes in pre-season and are likely to continue that together against the German side.
Cristian Romero and Djed Spence are heading off to Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan respectively and their departures could be announced ahead of the game while World Cup winner Pedro Porro is likely to be gradually brought back in, with Archie Gray potentially continuing at right-back and captaining the side.
Here's the Tottenham team that we reckon De Zerbi could select for Saturday's pre-season game against Hoffenheim: