Three Tottenham boys are determined to return to the first team as James Maddison speaks
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi could soon be boosted by the return of James Maddison, and the emergence of three rising stars.
Maddison has been involved in a run of reprieve
Maddison was surprisingly named on the bench by new Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi for Saturday’s 2-2 home draw with Brighton and although he was not used, it gave a boost to disgruntled fans.
The England international has not played for Tottenham this campaign after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament last summer, but his presence in the dugout has increased his chances of playing a key role in the club’s final five games.
Ben Dinnery, injury expert and founder of the popular Premier Injuries website, admitted that expectations should be low given he is out for eight-and-a-half months, but Maddison should be able to flash his best even before Saturday’s trip to Wolves.
“In terms of the medical department, the sports science department and everyone involved in his recovery and recovery, James Maddison is in the best possible place to contribute to the team.
“The next question is does Roberto De Zerbi believe that James Maddison can start the game and contribute to Tottenham’s success from the first minute or is James Maddison in a position where we actually consider him to be an impact player from the bench?”
“The ideal situation is when you do that mix carefully, maybe you do some bounce (warm-up) games, some under-21 games, maybe you will do 10, 15 or 20 minutes from the bench in the first team and build up little by little.
“However, given the demands and the pressure and the limited time Tottenham have to try to keep their Premier League hopes alive, nothing would surprise me! Whether they feel Maddison can contribute for 45 minutes or 60 minutes.
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“James Maddison is a leader, players will be looking to be like Maddison in that moment of brilliance and is he able to do it at the same time in games? Absolutely. It’s just those levels of consistency over a long period of time.”
If Maddison can help keep Spurs, De Zerbi is expected to overhaul his squad in the summer, and the manager will have three emerging stars to choose from, according to The Standard.
Mike Moore
Moore has only played 21 times for Tottenham’s first team since joining Rangers on a season-long loan in May 2025.
The midfielder has been a hit at Ibrox and the Gers are determined to keep him permanently, but the report claims that Spurs want to give him a ‘prominent first-team role next season’.
For his part, the youngster admitted he would be happy to stay in Glasgow next year, but it seems De Zerbi may have other plans.
Luka Vuskovic
Vuskovic has impressed on loan at Hamburg this season, scoring five goals at centre-back and emerging as one of the best young defenders in Europe despite a recent injury.
He is contracted to Spurs until 2030, but will not want to play in the Championship amid interest from Bayern Munich.
With the futures of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven in doubt, Vuskovic could be a star for De Zerbi even though he hasn’t been with his parents’ club so far.
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Things are getting worse for Spurs.
Ashley Phillips
Phillips, like Vuskovic, has had a senior season on loan despite making little impact in Tottenham’s top flight so far in his career.
The 20-year-old has spent time at Stoke City, Blackburn and Plymouth, and the report claims he could be considered as a depth option next season if van de Ven and Romero leave.
