Tottenham handed triple injury boost ahead of Brentford opener

As Tottenham prepare for their Premier League opener against Brentford, there’s mixed news on the injury front. Mateus Fernandes, James Maddison, and Destiny Udogie have all taken part in training ahead of the weekend clash, but Micky van de Ven is still doubtful for the trip across London.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi is facing an anxious wait over several key players as the new campaign kicks off. Maddison and Fernandes have had their preseason workloads carefully controlled, while Van de Ven and Udogie didn’t see any game time during the warm-up fixtures.

Udogie is being handled with caution following a string of muscle issues last season, and Maddison is similarly being eased back after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last summer. Despite that, both are pushing to be available against Brentford, alongside summer arrival Fernandes, who has been nursing a calf problem in recent weeks.

However, concerns linger over Van de Ven. The Dutch defender, who recently committed his future to the club with a lucrative new deal, wasn’t spotted in training at Hotspur Way and played no part in any of De Zerbi’s preseason matches after returning from the World Cup. His involvement on Saturday now appears unlikely.

Dominic Solanke is also questionable for the match. The striker was used sparingly during preseason after missing most of the previous campaign with ankle and hamstring complaints.

Spurs head to the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday evening eager to make a strong statement following an aggressive summer spending spree. With £237million invested in six new signings, the north London outfit are keen to erase the memory of last season’s disappointing 17th-place finish.

They’ll face a Brentford side riding high after an impressive debut campaign under Keith Andrews, who will be aiming to guide the Bees to European qualification for the first time in their history.