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Spurs have spent the majority of this week in a warm weather training camp in Marbella, but Savio was absent after he reported a “muscular problem” on Tuesday and Bergvall is sidelined for “two weeks” with a knee issue.

Those absences along with Kulusevski’s ever-improving fitness have opened the door for the Swedish playmaker to potentially play on Monday night after a serious knee injury has sidelined the attacker since the end of the 2024-25 season.

“Yes, Kulusevski on the bench. We had a meeting with the medical staff. They gave the OK and it’s great news. I think it’s one of the best news after Everton game last season because Deki he suffered too much. He deserves to feel emotion on the pitch,” boss Roberto De Zerbi told a press conference.

“Unfortunately Savio on Tuesday… before we leave for Marbella, he felt a muscular problem. We lost him for some weeks unfortunately.

“And Lucas Bergvall because he had a problem at the beginning of the game in Manchester.

“The day after Manchester (United), Sunday, he came to (the) training ground to our medical staff. And I think two weeks (out).”

De Zerbi provided a positive update on right-back Pedro Porro, who could be available for the trip to Chelsea next Saturday.

However, bottom-of-the-table Spurs will be missing seven players for the clash with Coventry with Rodrigo Bentancur suspended for a fixture where the hosts will be desperate to end a six-match winless start to the new Premier League campaign.

“Coventry is a good team. They played a fantastic Championship last season,” De Zerbi said.

“But we are Tottenham, keeping humility, keeping what you want, but we want to show to be good enough to win the games, especially if we deserve to win the games.”

Kulusevski could be required to help Spurs get off the mark in the league after a torrid spell on the sidelines with a patella injury, which required a second procedure in March to fix the long-standing problem.

After Kulusevski missed Tottenham’s Europa League triumph in 2025, the whole of last season and this summer’s World Cup, De Zerbi was delighted to tell the 26-year-old on Saturday that he would be in the matchday squad against Coventry.

De Zerbi revealed: “ I said to him, ‘I spoke with the medical staff and they gave me the OK’ and he smiled like this (wide).

“And we are happy. We are very, very happy. It’s not football. I’m not speaking about football. OK, he’s a special player, but we are speaking about different things. He suffered a lot and his reaction was great.”

Richarlison remains unavailable after he was left out of Tottenham’s 25-man Premier League squad following an eventful end to the summer transfer window – but featured and scored for the club’s Under-21s on Tuesday in a Jersey Mike’s Trophy match at Cheltenham.

On Saturday, Richarlison posted on his Instagram story “you are right” alongside a story where ex-Everton forward Duncan Ferguson criticised De Zerbi’s treatment of the Brazil forward.

But De Zerbi insisted: “It’s not my problem any more. You have to ask Vinai (Venkatesham), to Johan (Lange), it’s not my problem.”

Spurs remain winless in the Premier League after six matches, but produced an impressive display in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United – where Maddison was used off the bench for a fifth time this season.

The 29-year-old has struggled to get back to full fitness after two serious knee injuries in 2025, including a rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament, but Stevens, who was academy manager during Maddison’s time at Sky Blues, believes the playmaker can become Tottenham’s difference-maker again.

Ahead of Coventry’s trip to Spurs on Monday, Stevens told the Press Association: “His driver is, ‘am I playing 90 minutes and can I go and score some goals and ignite the fans,’ you know? So this injury would have hurt him a lot.

“Even in a 10-minute spell (now), when he comes on, he takes the ball and he makes things happen.

“He makes things tick and he gets the team playing forwards. He gets the team moving up the pitch.

“And good grief, Tottenham have had a tough time. They’re an unbelievable football club and you know the players they have, maybe he’s the bit that’s going to connect everything together.

“I hope he’s going to return and he’s going to connect everything together for Tottenham because I think he has that ability to do that.”

Stevens watched 52 youth prospects make their full debut for Coventry during 12 years in charge of the academy and can remember how a young Maddison “ran that group” to ensure certain standards were met.

Coventry’s financial plight more than a decade ago opened the door to youth-teamers and despite being sent off in his 12th appearance, Maddison grasped his chance and scored in a final day win at Crawley which kept his boyhood club in League One. Four years later and he had played for England.

Tottenham were interested in Maddison in 2016, but had to wait another seven years to secure his services and a rollercoaster spell in N17 has followed of 83 appearances, one Europa League triumph and a nervy relegation battle.

Ahead of Maddison’s third meeting with Coventry, Stevens can still recall the diminutive midfielder that caught the eye on his first day.

“James was under-11. We were away at MK Dons and there was this pitch behind me and there’s this little fella who just kind of carried the ball and twisted and turned,” Stevens said.

“We knew he was a good player. Every team we ever played against were always aware of him and they knew him. And, I’ve said it many times, he just loved football.

“Loved football, obsessed with it and no surprise he has had the career he’s had.

“If you see those pictures of that 2014-15 season, he does look like a boy, but he might have been a boy in his body, but he certainly wasn’t a boy in his mentality, in his understanding of the game and his courage.

“That goal at Crawley that year, the club were 20 minutes away from a pending relegation. And I remember he arrives in the penalty area and he punches one bottom corner.

“Local boy, lives 300 yards from the academy training ground… you couldn’t have wrote a more apt script really.”

Coventry fans only enjoyed Maddison for 42 appearances, but he can expect a special reception on Monday.

“He hasn’t changed,” West Brom academy boss Stevens insisted.

“He came into his box after a game (in 2024), jumped over the sofa and we’d not seen each other for two or three years. And it was like he’d never been away.

“You don’t forget that. That’s a boy that is really appreciative of all the things that staff of Coventry did for him.

“Everybody’s really proud and Coventry will be proud as well. They’ll be looking forward to playing against him, I’m sure.”

Alirza Dag and Murat Kodalakoglu, both 23, allegedly accessed a VIP rooftop terrace at the north London venue.

They were also charged with causing £1,700 of damage to an electronic keypad used to access the terrace.

Dag admitted criminal damage to the door access control panel and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to the same charge at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday.

Defence lawyers Tetevi Davie and Anisa Kebbati, representing Dag and Kodalakoglu respectively, both said their clients had no intent to steal in relation to the burglary charges.

Ms Kebbati added: “(Kodalakoglu) denies any intent or involvement in criminal damage.”

Their trial was set for February 18 2030 and, due to the length of time until that date, Judge Daniel Fugallo issued the sole bail condition of informing their solicitors within seven days if their address or contact number changes.

The prosecution claimed at a previous Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court hearing that the two men broke in “with intent to steal”.

The incident happened on June 16 last year, on the final night of six sellout shows at Spurs’ ground for Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter world tour.

It is alleged Dag, from Tottenham, and Kodalakoglu, from Chelmsford, burgled Lilywhite House, which houses administration offices at the £1 billion stadium.

They are accused of cutting through wires on the electronic access panel, and gaining access to a balcony terrace which is usually only used by senior club executives.

Right-back Porro was set to enter the final two years of his previous deal this summer and despite a host of Europe’s biggest teams circling, the former Sporting Lisbon full-back has agreed a contract until the summer of 2031, the Press Association understands.

An option for a further 12 months is also included, PA understands, and is the latest key move made by Spurs under Roberto De Zerbi since they avoided relegation on the final day of the 2025-26 campaign.

De Zerbi said: “Pedro is a very important player for us, who has consistently shown his ability to influence matches in both defensive and attacking situations.

“As well as his technical quality, I also love his mentality. Every day he wants to work, to learn and to improve, and these are the characteristics that help players reach the highest level.

“He understands football in a very intelligent way, and brings energy, intensity and personality to the team.

“This new contract is good news for everyone at the club. We believe in Pedro, and I am excited to continue working with him and helping him achieve even more in the coming years.”

In a video posted by the north London club on Instagram, Porro said: “Hi Spurs fans. I’m so happy to sign a new contract. Can’t wait to see you next season. Come on you Spurs!”

Porro made 47 appearances during a dismal last season for Tottenham, which did end with survival, and the full-back impressed during De Zerbi’s seven-game tenure.

Signed for 45million euros (£39.5m) in 2023, the Spain international has become one of the club’s most reliable players in terms of availability amid multiple injury crises in recent seasons.

The 25-year-old has produced 13 goals and 26 assists for Spurs and celebrated his 150th appearance in last month’s 1-1 draw with Leeds.

A new contract for Porro continues a busy start to the summer for Tottenham with free agents Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi signed. Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke has also been targeted and two bids for the Dutch centre-back have been turned down, PA understands.

Brighton have turned attention to Spurs youngster Luka Vuskovic amid negotiations for Van Hecke but a £30m offer on Friday has been rejected.

Maddison has recently returned from an ACL knee injury, and played the final 21 minutes of a midweek 2-1 Premier League defeat at London rivals Chelsea in only his second appearance of the season.

A point at Stamford Bridge would have sent West Ham down, given Tottenham’s superior goal difference, but the survival battle now rolls on to Sunday, when a win or draw at home to Everton will guarantee Spurs’ safety.

Maddison admitted it as a far cry from 12 months ago when Tottenham were lifting the Europa League trophy after beating Manchester United.

A return to the Championship for the first time since the seven-cap England international bid farewell to Carrow Road in 2017/18, with 22 goal contributions in 44 appearances, would be unthinkable.

“It’s non-negotiable. We have to (get over the line) for this club,” he said, quoted by PA.

“We’ve got to give everything for this club, for the badge and for our fans. It is unacceptable and a little bit embarrassing that we’re in this position as Tottenham Hotspur but it’s the reality unfortunately and it’s up to us to get out of it.

“Sunday is going to be a big day. We’re going to need everyone, we’re going to need our fans who were absolutely unbelievable today by the way.

“Even at 2-0 down (at Chelsea) you could just hear them and I genuinely think we’ve got the best away support in the league. We need to repay them with a good performance and some points on Sunday to secure Premier League survival.”

Quizzed on how long he could feature for Tottenham’s Sunday crunch against Everton, Maddison told Sky Sports: “Well, anyone who has worked in football or has been through this injury, it is not as easy just to drop back in.

“It would be catastrophic for my career if something was to happen and we weren’t safe or followed the protocols from the specialist, but obviously I want to help the team as much as I can.

“Obviously I’ve been out for a long time so I’m not going to be at my fluid and fluent best, but I feel good and I’ve just got to try to help the team with whatever many minutes I can.

“I've obviously had a massive injury, so it's one of them you have to respect the injury a little bit and that's probably why I am not starting games, but I've been out for a little while and I am going to do what I can on Sunday. I did (at Chelsea), it wasn't enough but we've got to keep trying and keep battling for our fans.”

Recently-appointed Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi indicated Maddison would remain limited to a short cameo against Everton this weekend.

“James Maddison can’t play more than 20 or 25,” he said. “I have a medical staff behind me, I am not a doctor, I am not physical coach and I have to follow what they say.”

Pochettino guided Spurs to a second-placed finish in the league in 2016-17 and reached the Champions League final in 2019 during a five-year spell in north London.

But it is a radically different picture now for Spurs, who sit 18th, two points from safety with four league games remaining.

Appearing on the The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, Pochettino said: “It’s really sad, I really love Tottenham, it’s going to be a part of my life, an important part of my life as a coach, my personal life too.

“It’s really sad because I know how the people are suffering there, inside the club and also the fans. It’s difficult to accept.”

Pochettino’s time at the club coincided with the building of the club’s current stadium and training ground, a period which saw them playing ‘home’ games at Wembley while transfer funds were limited given the investment elsewhere.

Pochettino named Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum as two players he had wanted to sign for the club, but instead they both joined Liverpool and were part of the side that beat Spurs 2-0 in the Champions League final.

“It’s a shame,” Pochettino added. “We were winning every season because with all the circumstances that we were fighting, we spent 18 months with not one signing. That was a record in the Premier League.

“We had money to spend but not the type of money to improve, to be close to win or to challenge. We challenged, we challenged to win. But we missed this last step.”

Five months after the Champions League final, Pochettino was sacked by then Spurs chairman Daniel Levy following a poor start to the season, replaced by Jose Mourinho.

After a short spell with Paris St Germain, Pochettino returned to the Premier League as Chelsea head coach in May 2023.

But 12 months later he was dismissed after a sixth-placed finish – experiencing what has continued to be a regular churn of managers hired and fired by Chelsea owners BlueCo, who have just sacked Liam Rosenior after only 23 games in charge.

Asked if the club was as chaotic as it appears, Pochettino said of BlueCo: “I think they have a plan. Maybe it is completely different than it was in the past with (former owner Roman) Abramovich. It’s true it’s not easy for people to understand…I think they need to explain the plan.”

Pochettino is now preparing to lead the United States into this summer’s World Cup, where they will be co-hosts alongside Mexico and Canada, but the 54-year-old indicated he would like to work in the Premier League again in the future.

“One day yes, because I really like England,” he said. “I think my profile – my human profile and my coaching profile – match very well with the Premier League.”

Here, the Press Association looks at the options in the 18th-placed Spurs squad that Roberto De Zerbi could turn to during the club’s final four games of the Premier League season.

Mathys Tel

The most likely candidate to benefit is Mathys Tel, who has been a rare shining light for Tottenham during a disastrous second half of the campaign, with his fearless mentality and non-stop desire to run at defenders earning him plaudits.

Tel went 11 weeks without a start under Thomas Frank before the 21-year-old forced his way into contention at the start of 2026 and a string of consistent displays under Igor Tudor followed.

However, De Zerbi had used Simons on the left side behind Dominic Solanke but that is where Tel flourished under Tudor and played late on at Wolves, where he forced the corner which produced Joao Palhinha’s winner. Spurs desperately need creativity and a goal threat – could Tel provide that?

Lucas Bergvall

One alternative for De Zerbi would be to bring the highly rated Lucas Bergvall into the team and potentially deploy him on the left or in fact on the right, which would mean Randal Kolo Muani would switch to the opposite flank.

Kolo Muani was hooked after 45 minutes at Wolves following a largely anonymous display and De Zerbi joked he must take the France international out every day in order to boost his confidence in a cryptic way which suggested he was in the last-chance saloon.

If Bergvall could be used on the right to provide energy and some creative flair, it would allow De Zerbi the opportunity to give Kolo Muani one final chance to prove his worth in Tottenham’s time of need.

Richarlison

Spurs could well be without Solanke during the run-in after he suffered a muscle problem on Saturday and even though Richarlison looks the likely candidate to play through the middle, De Zerbi could throw a curveball.

Richarlison was used on the left in De Zerbi’s debut fixture away to Sunderland. If the versatile Brazil attacker is fielded there again, it would allow Kolo Muani to play as the central striker.

Kolo Muani’s five goals for Spurs and his best performances in England have occurred when used as a centre forward. A final roll of the dice by De Zerbi to get a tune out of the Paris St Germain loanee may be to put him up front and Richarlison wide left.

James Maddison

The most obvious replacement for Simons in an ideal world would be James Maddison, but the playmaker has not played since his own anterior cruciate ligament injury in August.

Maddison’s presence on the bench for the last two fixtures has felt purely to give a depleted squad a psychological, especially given he has not warmed up during the Brighton and Wolves matches.

Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa will fall on the nine-month anniversary of Maddison’s ACL injury and given he has been back with the first-team group for many weeks, he could be ready to make an eagerly awaited return – but can he start after such a lengthy lay-off?

Tynan Thompson

De Zerbi could cast an eye over Tottenham’s academy and with talented academy graduate Luca Williams-Barnett still sidelined, it may open the door for natural left winger Tynan Thompson.

Thompson has regularly impressed for Wayne Burnett’s under-21s this season, scoring seven in seven in the UEFA Youth League and recently firing Spurs through to the Premier League 2 play-offs with goals against Leicester and Blackburn.

Aged only 18 and part of the first-team matchday squad previously, it would seem unlikely that De Zerbi turns to youth in such a desperate situation but right-footed silky winger Thompson would no doubt back himself to make an impact.

Netherlands playmaker Xavi went down clutching his right knee in the 58th minute of Saturday’s 1-0 win at Wolves, which earned Spurs a first Premier League victory of 2026.

After Xavi fell to the floor following a collision with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno, the 23-year-old attempted to run off the injury but collapsed in front of Tottenham’s medical staff and subsequently left Molineux on a stretcher.

It increased fears over potential anterior cruciate ligament damage and, while Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi acknowledged Xavi was feeling “better” in the dressing room after a first league win in 16 matches, he is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.

During an Instagram post late on Sunday night, Xavi revealed he would not be fit enough to take part in Tottenham’s final four league matches or represent the Netherlands at the World Cup this summer.

“They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way. My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m just trying to process it,” the former Paris St Germain player said.

“Honestly, I’m heartbroken. None of it makes sense.

“All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup.”

The absence of £52million attacker Xavi is a significant blow to Tottenham and De Zerbi, who has already lost captain Cristian Romero and winger Mohammed Kudus to season-ending injuries during his first month at the club.

Xavi had endured a frustrating debut campaign in England, only showing flashes of his class under Thomas Frank before being bizarrely frozen out by Igor Tudor, but looked set for a key role with De Zerbi, especially after a wonder strike in a 2-2 home draw with Brighton.

Instead, Xavi can play no part in Spurs’ desperate efforts to overturn a two-point deficit to 17th-placed West Ham in order to avoid their first relegation in 49 years.

Xavi added: “It’ll take some time to find peace with this but I’ll continue to be the best team-mate I can be. I have no doubt that together we’ll win this fight.

“I’ll walk this path now, guided by faith, with strength, with resilience, with belief as I count down the days to getting back out there. Be patient with me.”

Spurs travel to Sunderland on Sunday without a Premier League victory in 2026 and in a real fight to avoid a seismic first relegation in 49 years.

Tottenham initially turned to De Zerbi after Thomas Frank was sacked on February 11, but were unsuccessful after his exit from Marseille in the same week and instead went down the interim route with Igor Tudor.

It proved a disastrous appointment with Tudor losing five of his seven matches before he departed by mutual consent on March 29 and this time De Zerbi did answer Spurs’ SOS call, despite the realistic threat of a bottom-three finish.

With no relegation release clause included in a bumper five-year contract, De Zerbi was asked if money was the major factor behind agreeing to take over Tottenham in such a precarious position.

“No,” De Zerbi insisted. “You can find the right answer in my history because I left a lot of money in my life and the money never changed my focus on my work.

“Marseille was a special place. I didn’t say goodbye yet to my former fans, my former club, because I didn’t want to make any polemic. And in that moment, it was good to stay at home.

“For me, it’s not a problem this situation for Tottenham. When you come in this club, you have not to decide depending on the situation in that moment.

“You have to have a longer vision. Now, the focus is on this season, these seven games, to keep (in) the Premier League.”

De Zerbi feels the key is to change the mentality of a squad of players low-on-confidence, but also hinted that his front-footed and attacking style should be more suited to this group.

He added: “I want to keep the ball. I want to see again the Tottenham I watched with (Ange) Postecoglou because in my second season in Brighton, there was Postecoglou here with a lot of these players and it was one of the best teams in terms of quality of play.

“With Pedro Porro, with (Destiny) Udogie, with (Micky) Van de Ven, with (Cristian) Romero and I would like to see it again.

“The guys know the situation is very difficult, but if you watch them against Liverpool and also Atletico Madrid, they showed their qualities, they showed sometimes the right spirit.

“We have to show this for 90 minutes and we have to believe in ourselves – the most important part in football is the mental part.

“You are used to speaking too much about the style of play, the tactical disposition, blah, blah, blah, but in the end, the mental part is crucial in every work, especially in football, especially in this moment in Tottenham.”

With Guglielmo Vicario still sidelined, Antonin Kinsky faces a huge mental challenge if selected on Sunday after his two mistakes on a horror night against Atletico Madrid on March 10 where he was withdrawn after 17 minutes.

“I think his qualities are enough to play at Tottenham. The other players believe in him,” De Zerbi added.

“He has to stay calm and confident. He is playing at Tottenham. He has to be stronger than the mistakes and to move on.”

Fury will step out to fight in the UK for the first time since 2022 when he takes on Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after 16 months outside the ring.

During an entertaining half an hour media activity inside The Pelligon in Canary Wharf on Thursday night, Fury claimed to be the “Money Man” of the division and insisted his rivals will be “begging” to fight him given his star quality as the latest sporting athlete to feature live on Netflix.

Fury, who also used the final press conference to promote the second season of his Netflix series, turned his focus towards relegation-threatened Tottenham during the final ember of the ‘Gypsy King’ circus.

Spurs, who play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and are the ninth richest football club in the world, are currently on a 13-match winless run in the Premier League and embroiled in a first relegation battle for 29 years.

“It has been four years since I’ve been boxing in the UK,” Fury started.

“I’ve been out in Saudi Arabia, which was fantastic for me. It was unbelievable.

“Yeah, to come back to England and fight here, in a stadium at Tottenham Hotspur, let’s hope I do a lot better than Tottenham are doing right now because they are shocking at the minute!

“But it’s an unbelievable experience you know to have 60,000 cheering fans for you on Saturday night.”

Given Tottenham have only won two home league matches during a difficult campaign, Fury will hope to avoid the familiar tale of a home loss in N17 this season.