Tottenham's Strong Squad for Pre-Season Tour to New Zealand and Australia
Tottenham will take a strong, if slightly patched-up, squad on their long-haul pre-season tour to New Zealand and Australia, with new signings Jan Paul van Hecke and Andy Robertson among the headline names on the plane.
Both defenders only reported back this week after extended post-World Cup breaks and sat out Wednesday’s 1-0 behind-closed-doors win over MK Dons. Their first on-pitch minutes in Spurs colours are now likely to come on the road, in friendlies against Auckland FC, Sydney FC and Chelsea.
New faces, new look
Robertson and van Hecke give Ange Postecoglou fresh options on the left and in the heart of defence, and their inclusion underlines how quickly Spurs want them integrated. They join a defensive group that also features Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Kota Takai, Tyler Tingey and academy defender Malachi Hardy.
Behind them, the goalkeeping department for the tour is settled: Brandon Austin, Martin Dubravka, Antonin Kinsky and Dylan Thompson will share duties across the three fixtures.
Early statement from Fernandes
While the bigger names eased back into training, Mateus Fernandes wasted no time making an impression. The midfielder smashed in a thunderous third-minute volley to decide the MK Dons friendly, staking an early claim for more minutes on tour. Sandro Tonali also featured in that game and travels as part of a midfield group with a distinctly refreshed feel.
James Maddison, Conor Gallagher and Tonali provide senior heft, with Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Rio Kyerematen, Reiss Russell-Denny, Harry Byrne, Jamie Donley, Tye Hall, Tyrese Hall, Luca Williams-Barnett and Yang Min-Hyeok all included. It is a blend that points to an aggressive use of youth across the trip.
Injury list and absentees
Not everyone will be boarding the flight. Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert will remain at Hotspur Way to continue their rehabilitation programmes, while goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is staying behind for treatment on a minor training knock.
Several of Tottenham’s World Cup contingent have been handed extra time off. Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr have both been granted extended leave, as have World Cup finalists Pedro Porro, Marcos Senesi and Cristian Romero. Djed Spence, who also went deep into the tournament, will not travel either.
Their absence opens the door for a clutch of highly rated academy talents. Luca Williams-Barnett, Tyler Tingey and Mikey Moore are all included in the 35-man group and will hope to turn training-ground promise into meaningful minutes under the lights in Auckland, Sydney and against Chelsea.
For Postecoglou, the tour now becomes more than a fitness exercise. It is an early test of how quickly his new signings can mesh with a hungry crop of youngsters—and a chance for someone unexpected to force their way into his plans before the real season begins.
