He never played under Tudor: De Zerbi could unleash Spurs’ new Dembele

Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League season has already seen its share of high-stakes moments, but Saturday’s home clash with Brighton & Hove Albion carries a new level of significance.

Having slipped into the relegation zone with just six games remaining, Spurs are facing a genuine threat of the drop—something the club has never experienced in the modern top-flight era.

Roberto De Zerbi was brought in to rescue the campaign, but his debut in the dugout left much to be desired. A defeat to Sunderland last weekend has left Tottenham staring into the abyss.

To make matters worse, fellow relegation battlers Nottingham Forest and West Ham United face favorable opponents, while a lethargic Crystal Palace side and 19th-placed Burnley also loom.

Despite their perilous position, Spurs have received a rare boost on the injury front as they chase their first league win of 2026.

Latest Spurs team news vs Brighton

For the most part, the updates remain bleak. Captain Cristian Romero is ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury at the Stadium of Light. Guglielmo Vicario will also miss out again as he recovers from a hernia operation, though the Italian goalkeeper is expected back before the end of the month.

Tottenham have lacked creativity all season, consistently overperforming their expected goals metric. The continued absence of Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Wilson Odobert only underscores the severity of the club’s crisis.

Still, De Zerbi must find a way to get more from his available squad. Xavi Simons should return to the starting XI, but Spurs also need stability in midfield. Yves Bissouma is cleared to play, and another returning midfielder could make a real difference.

Spurs must unleash the ‘new Dembele’

Tottenham are desperate for star players to return from injury. While Rodrigo Bentancur is among the most recognizable names in De Zerbi’s squad, many fans might have wished for someone else to come back.

Still, his potential availability is a boost for a misfiring midfield. Conor Gallagher has struggled badly since returning from injury, and while Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are talented youngsters, they could use experienced support.

That’s where Bentancur comes in. Although journalist Mitch Fretton recently described him as one of several “pretty clear weaknesses” in the squad, the Uruguayan has previously excelled in the Premier League.

This season, however, he has performed well below his own high standards. Bentancur has been sidelined since January, last playing under Thomas Frank—he never featured under Tudor, a telling sign of Spurs’ injury nightmare.

An industrious midfielder, the 28-year-old’s passing has often let him down this term. But across 20 league appearances, he has still averaged five ball recoveries per game, won 60% of his ground duels, and succeeded in 59% of his overall battles.

If he can channel that gritty skillset and rediscover his best form, he could even add a Mousa Dembélé-like sheen to his game—something that would be invaluable in the season’s final weeks.

Bentancur has previously been likened to the retired Belgian, especially after arriving under Antonio Conte in 2022.

Injuries have undoubtedly hindered Bentancur, but he may yet revive his Tottenham career. Saturday offers the perfect stage for him to re-establish himself as a top-class asset. Spurs can afford no more slip-ups. Time is running out.

Deploying Bentancur in midfield might seem like a pragmatic choice, but he knows how to control and dictate a game. With Gallagher so badly out of sorts, his reintroduction could be exactly what De Zerbi’s side needs.