Pedro Porro Returns to Boost Tottenham's Attack Against Aston Villa
Pedro Porro is set to hand Tottenham a timely boost, with Roberto De Zerbi confirming the defender will be available for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa in north London.
The Spaniard, a World Cup winner, has sat out Spurs’ last two matches with what the club described as a muscular issue. He watched from the sidelines again on Tuesday night as Tottenham crashed out of the Carabao Cup, beaten 3-1 by Liverpool in the third round at Anfield.
De Zerbi, though, emerged from that defeat with one clear positive: Porro will be back.
Tottenham still head into the Villa game chasing something far more basic than momentum. They have yet to score a league goal this season. The wait is beginning to gnaw at the club, but not at their head coach.
“I believe in my players, I have a big confidence, a big opinion of my players,” De Zerbi said. “And when we arrive to find the click, to win a game, I think we enjoy with these players.”
He is banking on that click arriving soon. The return of key attacking pieces should help.
Kudus returns to the front line
Among the most significant comebacks is Mohammed Kudus. The Ghana international made his first Tottenham start since January at Anfield, having been sidelined for months by a serious quad injury.
For De Zerbi, Kudus is more than just another option. He is a tactical hinge.
“Kudus is another (who is) great news for us, because he can play also as a number 10,” De Zerbi said. “We can play with Savio, Kudus, (Dominic) Solanke and (Omar) Marmoush.”
That quartet alone hints at the manager’s intent. De Zerbi wants Spurs on the front foot, and he is not shy about how many attacking players he is willing to cram onto the pitch. When you factor in adventurous midfielders and full-backs like Porro, his vision becomes clear.
He insists Tottenham are capable of lining up with “eight attackers”.
Maddison the “special” piece
That attacking philosophy frames another slow-burning storyline: the return of James Maddison.
The England international has not started a competitive match since May 2025 after suffering a cruciate ligament tear. This season he has been eased back with three substitute appearances, his recovery complicated by a shoulder fracture along the way.
“Maddison is for sure a different player, a special player,” De Zerbi said. “But he has to be fit, he has to be in the right physical condition, because the Premier League intensity, even tonight, is incredible. And then we can play with eight attackers.”
The message is blunt. De Zerbi will not rush Maddison, but once he is ready, Tottenham’s attack could be reshaped around him.
For now, Spurs go into Saturday still searching for that first league goal, armed with a returning Porro, a fit-again Kudus and the tantalising prospect of Maddison edging closer. If De Zerbi really does unleash “eight attackers”, Aston Villa may be the first to find out exactly what that looks like.
