Mudryk’s Tottenham Return Gets Reality Check From De Zerbi
Mykhailo Mudryk made his Tottenham debut in the goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, coming off the bench in the 74th minute for his first competitive appearance since November 2024. Roberto De Zerbi’s verdict afterwards was blunt: encouraging glimpses, but nowhere near ready for a starting role.
Mudryk joined Spurs from Chelsea on a deadline-day loan, and this was his first game back following a suspension over alleged doping offences. More than a day after the final whistle at The City Ground, he posted a message on his Instagram story thanking supporters and saying there was no better feeling than being back on the pitch in his new colours – the kind of statement you’d expect from a player who’s been out of the game for the best part of two years. For more on how that loan move to Tottenham came together, the background is worth revisiting.
De Zerbi Not Getting Carried Away
Whatever goodwill the cameo generated, De Zerbi wasn’t rushing to hand Mudryk a starting berth. He said the winger isn’t ready yet and is working to reach his best physical condition, adding that he needs time and needs work – hardly a surprise given the layoff, but a useful reset for anyone expecting instant fireworks. In fairness to Mudryk, the limited minutes he did get were tidy: he won a free-kick in a dangerous area after a neat bit of skill and looked lively whenever the ball came his way. De Zerbi framed the left-wing picture as a straight fight between Mudryk and Mathys Tel, describing both as big potential players while noting Tel still makes too many wrong decisions – which, translated, means the position remains up for grabs rather than settled. That’s part of the wider winger conundrum De Zerbi is trying to solve. Savio started on the right against Forest and looked bright before being withdrawn on the hour alongside Destiny Udogie, part of a pre-agreed medical plan the manager admitted he wasn’t thrilled with but accepted as necessary.
What Comes Next
For Mudryk, the job now is straightforward if unglamorous: build match sharpness and physical condition in training before he can realistically push for more than fringe minutes. De Zerbi gave no timeline for when that might translate into a start, and on current evidence, nobody at Spurs should be expecting one soon – this is a slow rebuild, not a quick fix, according to ESPN.
