De Zerbi confirms Spurs defensive boost before Man United trip

Both defenders could feature at Old Trafford. Van de Ven played four matches for the Netherlands, while Van Hecke played three and recently became a father of twins.

Tottenham remain bottom after a difficult opening, and De Zerbi admitted the international break had been emotionally challenging. He has been eager to return since the home defeat by Aston Villa.

“After the defeat at home against Aston Villa, personally I wanted to play the day after,” he said.

De Zerbi rejected the suggestion that scoring twice against Villa had solved Tottenham’s problems in front of goal. He believes the team have created enough chances but have not been clinical when opportunities arrive in the penalty area.

James Maddison is available, although he missed several days of training around the end of last week and the start of this one. De Zerbi said the midfielder needs several consecutive weeks without pain to regain full match sharpness and build up his rhythm.

De Zerbi also confirmed that Pedro Porro and Mykhailo Mudryk are unavailable, with Porro expected to return sooner than Mudryk.

The coach praised Dejan Kulusevski, who continues to train as he works towards a return from a serious knee injury. The Swede will travel with the squad for support, but De Zerbi said any decision on his matchday availability would be made jointly with the medical staff.

“He is an example for everyone,” De Zerbi said, praising the player’s character and response to a difficult rehabilitation.

De Zerbi urged patience with Matheus Fernandes, describing him as one of Tottenham’s best players but saying he needs time to settle. He insisted Fernandes retains his confidence and that of the club.

Asked about Manchester City’s financial verdict, De Zerbi said he had no time to focus on matters beyond his own team, particularly with Tottenham at the foot of the table. He said the relevant authorities must make decisions responsibly and honestly.

De Zerbi’s priority is to improve Tottenham’s results. He said his side must prove they deserve to represent the club by playing better and achieving different results.

The trip to Manchester United offers a chance to respond, but De Zerbi knows his team must turn their attacking opportunities into goals if they are to climb the table.