Pedro Porro Returns for Tottenham vs Aston Villa as De Zerbi Plans Attack

Pedro Porro will be back for Tottenham this weekend, with Roberto de Zerbi confirming the defender is fit to face Aston Villa in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off in north London.

The Spaniard has missed Spurs’ last two matches with what the club described as a muscular issue, but came through the week well enough for his manager to declare him available in the wake of Tuesday night’s 3-1 Carabao Cup third-round defeat at Liverpool.

For Tottenham, the return comes at a delicate moment. They are still hunting their first Premier League goal of the season, an unwanted statistic that jars with the attacking intent De Zerbi talks about on an almost daily basis.

“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 knows the numbers. He also knows the profile of football he wants to play, and he is doubling down on it rather than retreating into caution.

Kudus back and central to the plan

One of the biggest positives for De Zerbi is the sight of Mohammed Kudus back in a Tottenham starting XI. The Ghanaian made his first start since January at Anfield, finally shaking off the long-term quad injury that halted his season last winter.

Kudus did not ease his way in. He pressed, he drove with the ball, he looked like a player desperate to make up for lost time. De Zerbi’s reaction said plenty about where he sits in the project.

“Kudus is another (who is) great news for us, because he can play also as a number 10,” the Italian said. “We can play with Savio, Kudus, (Dominic) Solanke and (Omar) Marmoush.”

That list is not accidental. It is a blueprint. Kudus between the lines, Savio wide, Solanke as the reference point, Marmoush buzzing around them – an attacking carousel that, in De Zerbi’s mind, should eventually overwhelm opponents rather than leave Spurs stuck on zero league goals.

Eight attackers and no apologies

De Zerbi pushed the idea even further. With his current squad, he argued, Tottenham can effectively field “eight attackers” when they tilt the pitch and commit full-backs and midfielders high up the field.

It is a bold vision for a side still waiting for that first league breakthrough, but it fits his nature. He is not trimming ambition to suit the table. He is asking the table to catch up.

The theory extends beyond Kudus and Porro. It runs straight through James Maddison.

Maddison the ‘special player’ still being managed

Maddison has not started a competitive game since May 2025 after suffering a cruciate ligament tear, then dealing with a shoulder fracture on his way back. This season he has been limited to three substitute appearances, each one a careful step rather than a full release.

De Zerbi’s description of him was short but telling.

“Maddison is for sure a different player, a special player,” he 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.”

That last line matters. In De Zerbi’s head, a fully fit Maddison is not a luxury; he is a trigger. The moment the England international can handle the full pace and volume of the league, Tottenham’s attacking structure changes again. Another creative mind between the lines, another set-piece threat, another player who sees passes early and executes them quickly.

For now, Spurs walk a tightrope between patience and urgency. Porro is back. Kudus is back. Maddison is edging closer. The system is primed for goals, the manager is unwavering in his belief, and Aston Villa arrive next.

At some point, the click De Zerbi talks about has to come. The only question is whether it lands in time to turn promise into points.