Tottenham Hotspur's head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, is set to benefit from an unexpected boost as several players return to pre-season training earlier than anticipated. The Italian manager will be pleased to have four of his World Cup stars back sooner than he likely expected, with the potential to join the club's tour to New Zealand and Australia in July.
The initial 12 players from Tottenham's squad were selected for the World Cup, including three of their four summer signings: Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and Jan Paul van Hecke. However, the early exits of Scotland's Andy Robertson and Uruguay's Rodrigo Bentancur mean that these players will now be involved in more pre-season training than initially planned. Additionally, the Netherlands' shock departure from the tournament has brought Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke back home sooner than expected, with the possibility of joining the summer tour.
The players will begin their return to pre-season training at the club's Enfield training complex in stages, starting from Friday, July 10, with medical and physical testing, followed by full training sessions from Monday, July 13. De Zerbi's uncompromised brand of football, which he avoided during the relegation fight, will now benefit from having more players available for adaptation.
The minimum break after a summer international tournament is three weeks, and with the players' involvement in the World Cup ending, they are likely to be back in pre-season training before the squad's tour to New Zealand and Australia on July 23. This early return will allow De Zerbi to prepare his team for the new season, which starts with a Premier League fixture at Brentford on August 22.
The article also mentions the next batch of players in World Cup action, including Lucas Bergvall, Djed Spence, and Pape Matar Sarr, as well as the potential returns of Kevin Danso, Pedro Porro, and Luka Vuskovic. De Zerbi will closely monitor these players' returns to further strengthen his pre-season training.
In conclusion, Roberto De Zerbi's early return of World Cup players to pre-season training is a significant boost for Tottenham Hotspur, allowing the manager to prepare his team for the upcoming season and adapt his football style as needed.
