Tottenham Revamps Squad Ahead of Brentford Match
Tottenham Hotspur will take on Brentford on Saturday evening, and manager Roberto De Zerbi’s squad selection could reveal the future of several key players. The Lilywhites have already spent more than £237 million on new signings - Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke - and are expected to complete a double swoop for Manchester City pair Savinho and Omar Marmoush in the coming days.
Key Players Returning
De Zerbi’s 19-man squad for the last pre-season game against Hoffenheim left no senior substitutes, and the coach will have an extra bench spot for the match at the Gtech Community Stadium. Several players who missed the pre-season due to World Cup duties are now back in training: Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and new captain Micky van de Ven. Ben Davies, Kevin Danso and Mateus Fernandes have all appeared in pre-season and are expected to be fit for the fixture.
With nine players returning, De Zerbi will cut the seven out-field youngsters who were on the Hoffenheim bench and one player who started, while keeping third-choice goalkeeper Brandon Austin on the bench.
Potential Departures
The return of so many senior players means fringe figures may be left out of the matchday squad. Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Sarr, both of whom were involved in the World Cup and exited early, could miss the squad entirely. Tottenham are reportedly open to offers for Bentancur, while Sarr has been presented to Brentford.
Lucas Bergvall, who has been linked with a move away from the club this summer, may also miss the match. The Swede started against Hoffenheim and played a big part in pre-season, but the new double pivot of Tonali and Fernandes will likely take his place, leaving Bergvall to drop to the bench. Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Bergvall this week.
The Bigger Picture
The squad reshuffle ahead of the Brentford clash underscores how Tottenham’s summer spending has reshaped the team. With the new signings in place, De Zerbi will need to balance experience and youth, and the match against Brentford will be the first test of the new squad’s depth and cohesion.
