Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has eased fears over James Maddison’s fitness after confirming the midfielder is managing only a minor injury issue during the club’s pre-season preparations.
The England international has yet to make an appearance for Spurs this summer, raising questions among supporters eager to see him build momentum ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
However, De Zerbi insists there is no cause for alarm, stressing that the coaching staff are simply taking a cautious approach with one of their most influential players following his lengthy spell on the sidelines last season.
Maddison endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign after suffering a serious ACL injury that kept him out for the majority of the season.
Although he successfully returned for the closing weeks of the campaign, Tottenham are determined not to jeopardise his long-term fitness by rushing him back into competitive action before he is fully ready.
Speaking after Spurs’ latest pre-season outing, De Zerbi explained that the midfielder’s absence is purely precautionary.
“James has a small problem,” the gaffer said.
The Italian coach made it clear that protecting Maddison’s fitness remains the club’s priority as preparations continue.
“I don’t want to take any risks, especially in this part of the season. Especially for James, because he suffered a long injury last season.”
Pre-season is often used to build fitness and sharpen tactical understanding, but De Zerbi believes player welfare must come first.
Rather than risk aggravating a minor issue, the Tottenham boss has opted to keep Maddison away from match action until the squad returns to London.
The cautious approach reflects the club’s determination to have one of their creative leaders available for the demands of the Premier League season rather than forcing an unnecessary comeback in friendly matches.
Given Maddison’s importance to Tottenham’s attacking play, the coaching staff view patience as the smarter option.
Maddison is not the only player whose workload is being carefully monitored.
De Zerbi also confirmed that midfielder Mateus Fernandes is following a similar recovery programme as Spurs continue to manage fitness levels across the squad.
The Tottenham manager believes there is little value in taking unnecessary risks before the competitive season begins.
“It’s important for us, but for him and for Mateus Fernandes, the same. It’s not the right moment to take risk.”
His comments underline Tottenham’s broader strategy throughout pre-season—prioritising long-term availability over short-term results.
Spurs are expected to resume training in London following the conclusion of their overseas pre-season commitments, with Maddison likely to step up his recovery programme once the squad returns home.
De Zerbi remains optimistic that both Maddison and Fernandes will soon rejoin full training as preparations intensify ahead of the Premier League opener.
“We’ll work again when we’re back in London.”
While supporters may be disappointed not to see Maddison feature during pre-season, the latest update suggests the injury concern is relatively minor rather than a serious setback.
After missing most of last season, Tottenham are understandably unwilling to gamble with the midfielder’s fitness.
For De Zerbi, ensuring Maddison is physically ready for the challenges of a demanding campaign is far more valuable than giving him minutes in exhibition fixtures.
If recovery continues as planned, Spurs fans should expect the playmaker to return to action once the squad resumes work in London, with the club confident that caution now will pay dividends when the season officially gets underway.
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