James Maddison is back in the frame for Tottenham, with Roberto De Zerbi confirming the midfielder is ready to be involved against Everton after shaking off a shoulder problem.
Maddison has missed Spurs’ last three games in all competitions, his absence stripping a layer of craft and control from the middle of the pitch. The medical team have now cleared him to return, giving De Zerbi a significant option as he looks to sharpen his side’s attacking edge.
The news is less positive for Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede will stay on the sidelines, having not trained over the past week. He recently made his way back onto the grass after more than a year out with a knee injury, only to be halted by what the head coach described as a minor setback.
“No, Kulusevski is not working with us the last week,” De Zerbi said. “It’s not a big problem. It’s a normal problem.”
Mykhailo Mudryk is also unavailable. De Zerbi did not hide his frustration, labelling it a “stupid injury” and stressing that Spurs are treading carefully with his recovery after such a long spell without consistent football.
“It was a stupid injury for Mudryk, but we hope he will be back soon,” he added. “It’s a normal process when a player has not played in a long time.”
So Maddison returns, Kulusevski waits, and Mudryk watches on. De Zerbi must now balance caution with ambition as Everton arrive looking to test just how ready this reshaped Spurs side really is.
