De Zerbi: Mudryk ready for Spurs role as winless Tottenham seek first goal of season

Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi says Mykhailo Mudryk is ready to play a part against Nottingham Forest as Spurs look to kick-start their season after a miserable opening two games.

Tottenham head into the clash bottom of the Premier League without a win or a goal after two matches, despite spending heavily on a squad overhaul during the summer.

Mudryk, available to play after serving a drug ban, completed his loan move from Chelsea on deadline day and could make his Tottenham debut at Forest, with De Zerbi suggesting the Ukraine international is ready for a cameo.

“He needs time to be able to start,” De Zerbi said.

“To play one part of the game, he’s ready right now to play 15-20 minutes.

“We spent a very particular season together at Shakhtar. When I spoke about the Ballon d’Or I was very clear. I was speaking about the potential of the player.

“The player can respect the prediction or not. He has had plenty of problems, most recently the ban.

“He has plenty of qualities though and he needs to feel this season in the right way, not too much pressure.

“It’s the right time for him to show why Chelsea spent £100million on him. I think he’s ready to play part of the game.”

De Zerbi confirmed he has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the match, although James Maddison was involved in training separately from the main group.

“We are all available to play,” he said.

“Normally Maddison started yesterday with us but the other players are all good. Savio is back.”

The Italian also explained the decision to leave Richarlison out of his Premier League squad as the Brazilian moves towards the exit door at Tottenham.

De Zerbi said Richarlison had made his desire to leave clear at the start of pre-season, leaving the club to bring in another striker and plan without him.

“Richarlison decided everything alone,” De Zerbi said. “He spoke with me at the beginning of pre-season. He told me his idea, his desire was to leave.

“In the end we went to bring another striker and, like I said at the start of pre-season, I want to keep only the players who want to stay with pride and the right passion to stay here.

“Then for other problems it’s not my business, it’s the job of the club. I can’t say nothing because I didn’t decide anything.

“The message of Richarlison from the beginning of pre-season has been very clear and I accepted that.”

Richarlison has been linked with a move to Turkey before the transfer window closes there, but De Zerbi said he was unaware of the latest developments.

“I don’t know if there is an offer from Turkey,” he said. “I don’t know if the club accepted this offer. I know there was an offer before the end of the transfer market but he did not accept that offer.

Spurs’ summer rebuild has been one of the most dramatic in the Premier League, with 10 first-team arrivals and a total of 54 arrivals and departures involving De Zerbi’s squad and the U21s.

The club committed around £394million to their new recruits, a figure that could rise to £469million if they exercise their £75million option to sign Mudryk permanently next summer.

They could also recoup up to £264million from players who have left the club.

But after two games, the huge investment has yet to translate into goals or points, leaving De Zerbi’s side with an immediate opportunity to put their season and his ambitious new Tottenham project on the right track.