Tottenham Hotspur’s preparations for the opening weekend of the Premier League season have taken on fresh urgency this week. Roberto De Zerbi’s side face Brentford in their first league fixture of the campaign. This update, published on 17 September 2026, reflects the latest training ground news. It follows Wednesday’s session and the final pre-season friendly against Hoffenheim.
Latest Team Update Ahead of Brentford Opener
De Zerbi has been putting the finishing touches on his squad since Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Hoffenheim. That match was their last public run-out before the season begins. Mikey Moore scored twice, with both goals set up by Mathys Tel. The result gives the head coach further attacking options as he weighs up his starting eleven for Brentford.
That victory also offered De Zerbi a clearer look at his squad depth. It is a theme that has run through much of the build-up, including our earlier look at the striker situation under De Zerbi. The Hoffenheim performance will have eased some of those concerns. Even so, the head coach’s bigger selection headache lies elsewhere.
Defensive Reshuffle as Van de Ven Remains Major Doubt
Micky van de Ven remains a major doubt for the Brentford match. The centre-back missed Tottenham’s pre-season friendlies. He was absent again from Wednesday’s training session, leaving his availability for the opener in genuine question.
Spurs have not confirmed that Van de Ven is ruled out, and no official diagnosis has been given. His continued absence from full training points to De Zerbi needing a contingency plan at the back. That mirrors the uncertainty around his team selection approach in recent weeks. The head coach has already shown a willingness to adjust his back line depending on who is fit.
Without Van de Ven, De Zerbi is expected to lean on his other senior defensive options. The exact make-up of the back line will likely stay unsettled until closer to kick-off.
Midfield and Attack Boosted by Key Returns
There is better news further forward. Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke have all returned to training this week. Their return gives De Zerbi a significant boost in both midfield and attack ahead of the Brentford trip.
Mateus Fernandes is also back in full training after recovering from a recent calf problem. He adds another body to a midfield group that had looked thin in recent weeks. These returns give De Zerbi more genuine choices when he sits down to finalise his starting eleven.
Separately, unconfirmed rumour reports from Read Tottenham have suggested interest in a double move for Savinho and Omar Marmoush. Those links remain unverified by official club channels. They should be treated as speculation rather than confirmed transfer business at this stage.
Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur: Key Match Details and Squad News
Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur opens Tottenham’s Premier League season. Van de Ven’s fitness is the central squad question heading into the match. The rest of the news is more encouraging. Udogie, Maddison, Solanke and Fernandes are all back in training and available for selection.
Taken together, the picture is one of a squad regaining depth in midfield and attack just as it faces a defensive setback. De Zerbi will have to balance those two realities when he names his team. He is likely to favour experience at the back while giving himself attacking options off the bench.
The Hoffenheim result adds a further layer of confidence. Moore’s brace and Tel’s two assists show the front line is sharp heading into the opening fixture. Question marks remain at centre-back.
What Happens Next for De Zerbi’s Side
Tottenham’s final training sessions before Brentford will be closely watched for any sign of Van de Ven returning to full fitness. If he remains sidelined, De Zerbi will need to confirm his preferred alternative pairing at centre-back before naming the team.
Supporters can follow the full breakdown of the head coach’s thinking, including his likely starting eleven, in our original predicted line-up report. That report will continue to be updated as fresh team news emerges in the build-up to kick-off.
For now, the position is clear. Tottenham have real defensive uncertainty around Van de Ven. Welcome returns elsewhere give De Zerbi more to work with as he prepares for the opening test of the new season.
