Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi could be appointed soon after the return of James Maddison and the emergence of three new stars.
Maddison returns to stardom in relegation battle
Maddison was surprisingly named on the bench by new Spurs manager Roberto de Zerbi in Saturday’s 2-2 home draw with Brighton, and although he was not featured, he encouraged a disgruntled fan base.
The England playmaker has not played for Tottenham this season after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury last summer, but his presence in the dugout raises the possibility of him playing a key role in the club’s final five games.
Injury expert and founder of the widely popular Premier Injuries website Ben Dinary admits expectations are low given he has been out for eight-and-a-half months, but Maddison should still be able to show his best moments ahead of Saturday’s trip to Wolves.
“To our medical department, sports science department, and everyone involved in his recovery and rehabilitation, James Madison is in the best possible physical condition to contribute to our team.
“The next question is: Does Roberto De Zerbi believe that James Maddison can start the game and contribute to Tottenham’s success from the get-go, or is James Maddison realistically where we are looking as an impact player off the bench?”
“The ideal scenario would be a careful reintegration, a few bounce (warm-up) games, some Under-21 games, maybe 10, 15 or 20 minutes off the bench for the first team, and then gradually build up.
“But given the demands and pressures and the limited time Tottenham have to keep their Premier League hopes alive, nothing surprises me! It’s whether they feel Maddison can contribute for 45 or 60 minutes from kick-off.
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“James Madison is a leader. Players look up to players like Maddison for moments of brilliance. And can he do that in just one moment of a game? Absolutely. It’s just a matter of optimally maintaining that level of consistency over the long term.”
According to a report in The Standard, if Maddison can help keep Spurs, De Zerbi will overhaul his squad in the summer, with the manager to choose between three new stars.
mikey moore
Moore has made just 21 appearances for Tottenham’s first team and has not played since joining Rangers on a season-long loan in May 2025.
The winger has been a big hit at Ibrox and the Gers are keen to keep him on a permanent deal, while reports say Spurs want to give him “an outstanding first-team role next season”.
Meanwhile, the youngster admits he wants to stay in Glasgow next year, but it appears De Zerbi has other plans.
Luka Vusković
Vusković has been sensational on loan at Hamburg this season, scoring five goals from centre-back and emerging as one of Europe’s top young defenders despite a recent injury scare.
He is under contract with Spurs until 2030 but does not want to play in the Championship due to interest from Bayern Munich.
With the futures of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven in doubt, Vuskovic could become De Zerbi’s mainstay despite having barely featured for his parent club so far.
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ashley phillips
Like Vuskovic, Phillips has had a top-flight season on loan despite having made little impact on Tottenham’s first team in his career so far.
The 20-year-old has spent time at Stoke City, Blackburn and Plymouth and reports suggest he could be seen as a force option next season if Van de Ven and Romero leave.
