Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has addressed the absence of James Maddison following the club’s 2-0 pre-season victory against Auckland FC in New Zealand.
De Zerbi confirmed Maddison has not been training for around five days, placing him in a similar situation to Destiny Udogie, though the manager was quick to downplay any serious concerns.
Speaking at Eden Park after the match, De Zerbi said: “He’s not working the last five days, I think, like Udogie, but they have not a big problem, just to stay focused, don’t take any risks.”
The Italian coach suggested Maddison could be in contention for Tottenham’s upcoming friendly against Sydney FC, with the squad rotation set to continue throughout the Australian leg of the tour.
De Zerbi hinted that players such as Sandro Tonali could feature more prominently in the next outing, saying the club would “see” how things develop before making decisions.
One of the standout performers on the night was 17-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett, who was handed the number 10 role and delivered an encouraging display against the A-League champions.
Archie Gray captained the young Spurs side, with Jamie Donley, Mikey Moore, Dane Scarlett, and Kota Takai also earning starts in what was an exciting look at the club’s emerging talent.
Gray was directly involved in the opening goal, threading a terrific curling pass to find Manor Solomon’s run into the Auckland box, with Scarlett converting the rebound after the initial shot was saved.
Richarlison added the second goal after the hour mark, finishing from a Mathys Tel cutback following a strong run to the byline from the Frenchman.
De Zerbi was also bullish about Tottenham’s activity in the transfer market, insisting there is more business still to come from the club this summer.
The Spurs boss said: “It is not finished yet, our transfer market. I think we can be happier at the end of this transfer market, because I spoke a lot to the owner, the board and they want to build a very strong team for this season.”
De Zerbi added that the ambition extends beyond the immediate campaign, with the club looking to “make the base for the future to become great again.”
Tottenham’s tour of New Zealand and Australia marks the club’s first visit to the region in more than 50 years, with the lengthy travel having influenced De Zerbi’s cautious approach to the squad selection in Auckland.
The squad will next face Sydney FC on Wednesday before taking on Chelsea on Saturday as senior players continue to build their fitness ahead of the new season.
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