Tottenham Hotspur have received a timely boost ahead of their Carabao Cup second-round tie against Charlton, with Roberto De Zerbi confirming that Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven are both available for selection on Wednesday evening.
De Zerbi said on Tuesday that both players will be on the bench for the 7.45pm UK kick-off, a useful update for a side that has been managing fitness and availability carefully. Solanke is also available to play, giving Tottenham another option as they look to handle the tie professionally.
De Zerbi gives the clearest squad update
The most important part of the announcement is that Tottenham can now call on two players who have only recently returned. Van de Ven had not featured since coming back from the World Cup in July, while Porro returned from his summer exploits with Spain on 13 August.
That does not necessarily mean either will start, but their inclusion in the squad changes the picture for Tottenham. In cup football, the ability to turn to established first-team quality from the bench can make the difference if the match becomes tighter than expected.
Who remains sidelined?
De Zerbi also gave a clear update on the absentees. Xavi Simons, Deki Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert remain sidelined for the Charlton clash, while Kudus is not ready yet. Maddison, meanwhile, has suffered a small injury in the shoulder.
That leaves Tottenham with some useful reinforcements, but not a fully clean bill of health. The balance of the squad still matters here, and the manager will have to decide how much risk to take with returning players as the competition begins to sharpen.
A useful step, but not the full picture
For Tottenham, this is the kind of update that improves the mood without removing the bigger selection questions. Porro and Van de Ven are back in the picture, Solanke is available, and Charlton will provide the next test of how ready the squad really is.
What happens on Wednesday evening will tell supporters more than the press conference alone. But for now, Tottenham at least know that two important names are inside the squad again.
