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Another key Tottenham player has now joined many of his teammates on the treatment table as injuries continue to take their toll on the Lilywhites.

Spurs have seen some improvement in their injury situation of late, with the likes of Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall now having returned to action.

Tottenham could also be boosted by the return of four players after the international break, as Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Yves Bissouma and Mathys Tel are expected to be back in action soon.

However, the new head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, has received some bad news regarding another one of his midfielders.

Tottenham midfielder Pape Matar Sarr picks up an injury for Senegal

Pape Sarr has started all of Tottenham’s last five games alongside Archie Gray in central midfield, with the two youngsters showing signs of forging a decent partnership in the middle of the park.

However, Sarr has now suffered an injury blow while on international duty with Senegal, with whom he won the African Cup of Nations two months ago.

The Tottenham man played no part in Senegal’s 3-1 win over Gambia on Tuesday, and it was revealed ahead of the game that he had picked up an injury.

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Pressafrik revealed that the 23-year-old was unavailable due to a shoulder problem, but they did not shed light on the seriousness of the midfielder’s injury or provide a timeline for his return.

What midfield combination will Roberto De Zerbi prefer at Spurs?

Given De Zerbi’s preference for midfielders who look to progress the ball, one would expect Archie Gray to be a nailed-on starter, especially when considering the 20-year-old’s recent form.

The question of who starts alongside Gray is a difficult one to answer. While all of Tottenham’s other midfield options have energy, they arguably lack in terms of technical quality to receive the ball in tight areas and play through the press.

A midfield trio of Sarr, Bergvall and Gray may be De Zerbi’s preference until the return of Rodrigo Bentancur, which is why the Italian would be hoping that the Senegalese star can shake off his shoulder problem quickly.

Roberto De Zerbi’s arrival is very good news for certain members of the Tottenham Hotspur squad, but some might be worried by the manager’s style of play.

Here are the three players who will benefit the most from playing under De Zerbi and three others who could be in trouble.

Lucas Bergvall will enjoy Roberto De Zerbi’s fast paced Tottenham attacks

No Tottenham Hotspur player has looked as lively over the past couple of seasons than Lucas Bergvall.

Whether Spurs are playing exceptionally well or really badly, the young Swede always gives 100 per cent in everything he does.

Bergvall can play with intensity and so he is likely to be a fan of De Zerbi’s pacey attacking play. In fact, the new manager could help the 20-year-old develop into an even better midfielder, especially when it comes to decision-making.

Cristian Romero will be comfortable with De Zerbi’s requirements for his defenders

Being a centre-back under De Zerbi is about more than just making tackles and racking up recoveries. It is also about playing with possession and building the foundation to launch attacks.

Cristian Romero should have no problem adapting to this role, as he is usually an accurate passer of the ball.

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The Tottenham captain likes to move into the midfield areas and start attacks himself. Therefore, he could be exactly what De Zerbi needs.

Mathys Tel could become De Zerbi’s dream winger at Tottenham

Although Mathys Tel sees himself as a striker, he is looking increasingly more promising playing out wide.

The Frenchman has the ability to move quickly and he can take on defenders, which should impress De Zerbi.

Wherever the Italian goes, he usually has at least one forward whose potential gets unlocked and Tel could be that player at Spurs.

But what about the three losers…

Guglielmo Vicario cannot play with the ball at his feet

Guglielmo Vicario has a few notable weaknesses, one of which is that he is not so good in possession. The 29-year-old might not have delivered moments as bad as Fraser Forster’s Carabao Cup errors against Man United, or Antoinin Kinsky’s recent disaster.

However, he is not the type of goalkeeper who is dynamic enough to be starting attacking moves from his own net.

This could be a real problem, as De Zerbi needs someone between the sticks who is confident playing the ball.

Radu Dragusin has the same problem as Vicario at Tottenham

Like Vicario, Radu Dragusin does not possess many qualities required to enact De Zerbi’s modern style of play.

The Romanian consistently looked out of his depth during the Ange Postecoglou era and we could see something similar in the coming weeks.

Then again, will Dragusin actually start any matches? De Zerbi will change Tottenham’s formation to a back four and that could significantly limit the centre-back’s minutes. After all, surely he will not be above Kevin Danso in the pecking order.

Joao Palhinha is not a possession based player

Thomas Frank was a defensive minded manager, yet Joao Palhinha was called out for not being good enough on the ball.

Now imagine what the reaction will be while he is attempting to adapt to De Zerbi’s possession based football.

The Portuguese international could be in for a rough ride, which could ultimately see him return to Bayern Munich this summer.

Former Tottenham Hotspur defender William Gallas has now issued a stark warning to Spurs over the threat of relegation to the Championship ahead of the Premier League run-in.

Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles did not start this season, given their 17th-place finish in the Premier League last term under Ange Postecoglou.

However, the disaster of that campaign was papered over by their Europa League triumph, where they ended a near two-decade run without silverware.

But instead of building on that success, Spurs find themselves in a more precarious position – a single point above the bottom three, battling relegation with seven games left this season.

Tottenham relegation fears raised by William Gallas

Whether they will stay up remains to be seen, but the club has taken drastic steps to ensure Premier League survival, having hired three different managers already this campaign.

The hope will be that the newly appointed Roberto De Zerbi does enough to keep Spurs in the Premier League before they embark on a summer rebuild.

Speaking to Boyle Sports, William Gallas has now warned about the dangers of relegation and how difficult it is to return to the top flight, while also questioning Tottenham’s recent trajectory.

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He said: “Nobody wants to play in the Championship because it is very tough. If you go down into the Championship, you cannot be sure you will go back to the Premier League, at least not straight away.

“Last year, look at what happened to Tottenham. They finished in 17th position and they won the Europa League.

“Everybody was surprised, but that means something is wrong in that club for the last few years. It is not possible. Maybe four years ago they were fighting to be in the top four. Now look at where they are. Something is wrong.”

Spurs face key test under Roberto De Zerbi

De Zerbi definitely has a big task on his hands, as he needs to not only improve performances on the pitch but also raise the spirits of a deflated group of players.

Spurs, however, managed to ensure that the Italian remains committed, as there was no relegation clause included in De Zerbi’s contract.

The former Brighton manager is also understood to be committed to remaining at Tottenham even if they are relegated to the Championship.

As for the Spurs players, it is claimed that they are excited to begin working with De Zerbi as they look to push for Premier League survival.

Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on an experienced Premier League centre-back, but two other top-flight clubs are also determined to get involved in the race for his signature.

The speculation over Micky van de Ven’s and Cristian Romero’s Tottenham futures have been frenetic, with the pair alleged to be of interest to some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

One can argue that the Dutchman and the Argentine defenders are the two best players in the Spurs squad, although their performances have not shown that this season, and losing either one or both would be a huge blow for the Lilywhites.

Due to the uncertainty over their futures, the North London club have now set their sights on a 26-year-old defender, who has proven himself in the Premier League.

Tottenham battling two Premier League clubs for Pascal Struijk

Sports Boom has revealed that Tottenham view Pascal Struijk as a ‘serious option’ ahead of the summer as the defender is edging closer to the final year of his contract at Elland Road.

The experienced centre-back, who has been at Leeds since 2018, is seen as a ‘ready and reliable’ alternative at the back by Spurs should they be forced to cash in on Van de Ven or Romero.

The report reveals that Unai Emery wants to add a ball-playing centre-back to his squad and is also a big fan of Struijk.

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Aston Villa could make an offer of around £20m for the defender to test Leeds’ resolve, while the player also features near the top of Newcastle United’s transfer wishlist for the summer.

What is Leeds’ stance on Struijk?

Sports Boom explain that the Leeds board view the long-serving defender as a ‘vital part’ of the club’s culture and are not eager to sell him.

However, with Struijk’s current deal running out in 2027, and with the club needing to raise funds for their own transfer pursuits, they would entertain a sale if a big offer arrives.

Daniel Farke’s men do not consider the 26-year-old to be unsellable, and they could be set to open negotiations at the £30m mark.

Tottenham Hotspur were leading the race for a highly-rated Serie A centre-back, but that is no longer the case following recent developments.

As regular readers of Spurs Web would be aware, both Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven face uncertain futures at Tottenham, even if the club manage to stay in the Premier League.

Additionally, Spurs are also at risk of losing Luka Vuskovic, who is of interest to some of the biggest clubs in Europe after his outstanding displays on loan at Hamburg this season.

The North Londoners could thus be forced to rejig their backline this summer, and they have set their sights on an experienced Serie A defender.

Tottenham are no longer the front-runners for Evan Ndicka

It emerged a couple of days ago that Tottenham had expressed an interest in landing Evan Ndicka this summer, but the Lilywhites’ pursuit of the Roma star has just got a lot more complicated.

This is according to a new report in Solo la Roma, which reveals that the centre-back is set to be the subject of a major bidding war this summer.

The outlet claims that Spurs had been leading the race for Ndicka since last summer, but Man United have now entered the equation and ‘altered the balance of the negotiations’.

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The Ivory Coast international is also being monitored by Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Besiktas. However, the Red Devils are ‘poised to leapfrog the competition’ as they eye an ‘immediate offer’ for the centre-back.

What fee would Roma demand for Ndicka?

Solo la Roma says that the Giallorossi’s management considers the former Eintracht Frankfurt man a ‘cornerstone’ of their project.

However, Roma’s position remains one of a ‘strategic wait-and-see’, as they need to balance their squad planning with their financial fair play constraints.

It is suggested that the Serie A club would be prepared to accept an offer of around €45m (£39m) for the 26-year-old defender.

Tottenham Hotspur have turned their attention to a young German centre-forward, but they face competition from Arsenal and clubs from abroad.

Goalscoring has been an issue all season at Tottenham, who have not managed to adequately replace Heung-min Son’s consistent numbers in the final third.

One would thus expect the Lilywhites to prioritise adding firepower to their forward line if they do end up staying in the Premier League.

Rumours are doing the rounds that Spurs have already started exploring deals for some strikers ahead of the summer, and another forward has now been added to the club’s shortlist.

Tottenham battling Arsenal and several European giants for Nicolo Tresoldi

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has now revealed that Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring the situation of Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi ahead of the summer.

However, they are not the only ones interested, with Arsenal having made an enquiry for the 21-year-old, but not having held any advanced talks over a deal.

Additionally, Tresoldi, who has scored seven times and provided three assists in 34 league outings this term, is also said to be on the radar of Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and top Serie A sides.

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Finally, the journalist asserts that the Belgian club will let their star striker leave for around €25m-€30m (£21.7m-£26m) this summer

Plettenberg wrote on X: “Borussia Dortmund and Bayer 04 Leverkusen are closely monitoring 21 y/o striker Nicolo Tresoldi. Arsenal have made an enquiry about Tresoldi, but nothing further has developed at this stage and there are currently no advanced talks. Tottenham are monitoring the situation. Top clubs from Italy also keen. Tresoldi is currently valued at €25-30 million.”

Spurs could be set for wholesale changes in the striker department

Randal Kolo Muani is not expected to stay at Tottenham beyond the end of his loan spell this season after failing to hit the expected heights in the Premier League so far.

It has also been reported that Spurs are ready to cash in on Richarlison this summer, even though the Brazilian is currently the club’s top scorer this season.

It thus appears likely that the Lilywhites will rejig their attack this summer, with Roberto De Zerbi likely to want players who fit his system.

Former Tottenham Hotspur Dutch midfielder Rafael van de Vaart has now openly criticised Xavi Simons’ form at Spurs this season.

It has been a difficult season for Tottenham Hotspur, whose struggles have left them in a full-on relegation scrap.

Several players who should be performing at a higher level have looked poor this campaign, making individual mistakes that have proved costly.

In fact, for many fans, the standout performer of the season so far has not been a senior player, with Archie Gray receiving most of the plaudits.

Tottenham star Xavi Simons criticised by Rafael van der Vaart

Rafael van der Vaart has now openly criticised Tottenham’s summer signing Xavi Simons, who has struggled to leave his mark on this Spurs side.

As reported by De Telegraaf, Van der Vaart was speaking on Ziggo Sport’s Rondo, where he questioned Simons’ performances and admitted he expected far more from the 22-year-old.

“He disappoints me,” he said. “I had expected much more from him. He wants so badly to show how good he is. That has the opposite effect.

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“He was the young talent, and everyone was talking about him. He is still playing a bit like that.”

Spurs performances leave doubts over Xavi Simons impact

Simons has not been entirely poor and has shown his quality in games this season. One of his better performances came in the Champions League last-16 second leg tie against Atletico Madrid, where he ran the show and grabbed a brace.

However, so far this campaign, he has managed four goals and five assists in 38 games – well short of the 22 goals and 11 assists in 48 games for PSV, and the 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 games for RB Leipzig.

Van der Vaart, speaking via De Telegraaf, admitted he cannot understand the drop-off in form at Tottenham, referencing Simons’ previous spells in Germany and the Netherlands.

“At Leipzig he really had a good spell. Tottenham is nothing at all. After PSV, he also showed it in the Bundesliga,” he added.

Van der Vaart is not the only one unsure about Xavi Simons. Dutch icon Ruud Gullit has also been watching and has been left with questions as a result.

Speaking about the midfielder’s potential, Gullit suggested there is still uncertainty over his true level.

“He is hyped. I still do not really know how good he could be,” he concluded.

A young Tottenham Hotspur defender has endured a frustrating season, but he may have an opportunity to end the campaign strongly after recovering from his injury layoff.

Spurs have some extremely talented young players in their academy and first-team ranks, some of whom are currently out on loan.

Many of Tottenham’s young guns have been impressing at other clubs over recent months, hoping to catch the eye of the decision-makers in North London ahead of their summer return to Hotspur Way.

One Spurs defender has shown glimpses of his quality since his loan move in January, but he has endured an extremely frustrating time of late.

Tottenham youngster Kota Takai returns from injury

Takai joined Borussia Monchengladbach on loan back in January without making a single first-team appearance for Spurs.

The Tottenham youngster made a decent start to his spell at the Bundesliga club, but Takai picked up an injury earlier this month that has forced him to miss Gladbach’s last few matches.

It has now been revealed by Rheinische Post (as relayed by Sport Witness) that the Japanese defender is set to soon return to the pitch after putting his injury woes behind him.

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The outlet claims that Takai has now started training with his Gladbach teammates after overcoming his muscle problem.

While it is unclear if the Tottenham man will be available to feature in the club’s next game against Heidenheim on April 4, the youngster will be hoping to have a strong end to the season.

Borussia Monchengladbach want to retain Takai’s services

Due to injuries and an adaptation period, the Spurs defender has only featured four times in the Bundesliga since his January switch, having got just over 300 minutes under his belt for the German side.

However, reports indicate that Gladbach are already exploring the possibility of extending Kota Takai’s stay for one more season after being impressed with the glimpses of quality the Tottenham starlet has shown.

One would expect the centre-back’s possible return to the Bundesliga club next season to be contingent on how he performs in the final run-in for Eugen Polanski’s men.

Roberto De Zerbi wants a World Cup-winning legend, who is currently a free agent, to join his coaching staff at Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs did not waste any time since the sacking of Igor Tudor a couple of days ago, with the Lilywhites announcing Roberto De Zerbi as their next head coach on Tuesday.

The Italian has been handed an extremely lucrative long-term deal, which makes him one of the highest-paid managers in the Premier League.

The 46-year-old now faces the huge challenge of turning around the fortunes of a club that is without a league win in 2026 and somehow securing their top-flight status, and he wants the help of an Italian legend.

Roberto De Zerbi wants Alessandro Nesta to join him at Tottenham

According to TuttoSport, the former Brighton boss wants to add Italian icon Alessandro Nesta to his coaching staff at Spurs.

Nesta is considered one of the greatest Italian players of all time, being a key part of the Azzurri’s 2006 World Cup win, while also having an extremely decorated club career with AC Milan and Lazio.

Since hanging up his boots, the former Milan centre-back has gone into coaching, and his most recent role was as the head coach of Monza, whom he departed last summer after failing to keep the club in the Serie A.

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Nesta is now thought to be considering whether to accept De Zerbi’s offer and return to the game as an assistant at Tottenham Hotspur after nearly a year out of the sport.

De Zerbi is committed to Spurs for the long term

De Zerbi has signed a five-year contract at Tottenham, with no relegation break clause, which signals his long-term commitment to the job.

In fact, reports indicate that the Italian is ready to rebuild Spurs next season even if the club finds itself in the Championship.

Tottenham Hotspur’s next potential relegation six-pointer against Leeds United has now been rescheduled ahead of the Premier League run-in.

With Tottenham Hotspur’s managerial search concluded, and Roberto De Zerbi set to take charge for the remainder of the season on a five-year deal, attention now turns to what truly matters: avoiding relegation.

Tottenham currently find themselves a single point above the relegation zone and have seven matches to secure their Premier League status, as the relegation battle intensifies between themselves, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and West Ham United.

Spurs already fell short in their last relegation six-pointer, with Forest dismantling the Lilywhites 3-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last time out in the Premier League.

That defeat ultimately brought Igor Tudor’s time in the Tottenham dugout to an end, ushering in a new era under De Zerbi.

Tottenham vs Leeds United fixture rescheduled in Premier League

With the international break now coming to an end, the Premier League has confirmed a change in date and time for one of Spurs’ biggest encounters this season.

The updated fixture schedule has seen Tottenham’s potential relegation six-pointer with Leeds United rescheduled.

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The fixture was initially set to take place on Saturday, 9 May, but has now been moved to Monday, 11 May, with kick-off scheduled for 8 pm UK time at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs face crucial run-in ahead of Leeds United clash

Given the context of their respective seasons, this match-up could decide the fate of both clubs this campaign.

A victory for Tottenham could bolster their hopes of survival, while a defeat for Leeds could drag them further into the relegation race, which they are not far from.

However, before that fixture, Spurs must face Sunderland, Brighton, Wolves and Aston Villa – games in which they must secure results to keep their survival hopes alive before they take on Leeds United.