Roberto De Zerbi says he does not know if James Maddison will be able to play for Tottenham between now and the end of the season.
Maddison has been out since August with an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered during the final game of Spurs’ pre-season tour of Asia.
The 29-year-old has not played a competitive fixture in exactly a year - Spurs’ Europa League semi-final first-leg against Bodo Glimt - but has been named on the bench in each of their last two games.
De Zerbi has been hesitant to say that Maddison is fit enough to play in Spurs’ remaining four games, instead suggesting that he has been providing a leadership role within the squad.
In any other season, De Zerbi would be unlikely to risk Maddison. But with Xavi Simons now out for the remainder of the season after suffering an ACL injury against Wolves last weekend, he has a decision to make about Maddison’s fitness.
The England midfielder is training “very well” according to De Zerbi, but the Spurs boss admitted that while he would like to play Maddison, he did not know if he would be able to feature against Aston Villa or Leeds.
“I don't know, I would like to play with him, because he's a special player, he's a different player, but we have to consider the physical condition, a lot of things. But I think he can be important in the next three games,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference.
De Zerbi wants to be careful with Maddison, having seen Mohammed Kudus suffer a setback in his recovery from a quad injury after pushing too hard to return to fitness.
But while he is cautious about throwing Maddison headfirst into a relegation battle, De Zerbi insists that he can have an impact on the squad, regardless of whether he is on the pitch.
Asked what qualities Maddison has provided since returning to Spurs’ matchday squad, De Zerbi praised his “experience” and “personality” while admitting he would need Maddison to be 100 per cent ready before bringing him into the team.
“If you have much experience, you are calmer. You can consider the timing when you have to speak, when you have to say something or not.
“And I want him to stay inside even if he doesn't play, because when he will be ready to play, I want him 100 per cent inside of the plan of the team.”
