Tottenham Injury Update: Pedro Porro Withdraws From Spain Squad

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Roberto De Zerbi has been forced to rely on Archie Gray in the full-back position for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Pedro Porro limped out of action early in the 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday, and is now set for a period on the sidelines.

Roberto De Zerbi's men were still level when the Spanish international hit the deck during the opening 20 minutes. Porro could be seen hunched over with his head in the turf.

Spurs medical staff tended to the 27-year-old but could not remedy the problem, which left Porro limping off the pitch after just 19 minutes of action. De Zerbi once again turned to Archie Gray as a makeshift option at full-back but saw his side fall to yet another Premier League defeat.

Speaking after the match, De Zerbi told SpursPlay that he hoped the injury would not be a 'big problem' and suggested that Porro had suffered a hamstring injury. The defender suffered from a similar problem in January and February.

De Zerbi said: “Listen, Pedro, I said after the World Cup, I said the management of Pedro should be different, because after the World Cup, many games.

> "I don't know what the problem is. It's a hamstring, I think. Hopefully, it's not a big problem.”

Just hours after full time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Spanish Football Federation confirmed that Porro had been withdrawn from Luis de la Fuente's squad for the upcoming Nations League matches.

Spain are due to take on England and Croatia over the upcoming extended international break, as well as playing Czechia twice. The World Cup winners will be without Porro for those matches.

Tottenham return to action against Manchester United on Saturday, October 10 and De Zerbi will be desperate to have Porro available for the trip to Old Trafford. The extended break will aid the player's recovery, ahead of meetings with Coventry City, Chelsea and Crystal Palace before the end of October.

The full-back has so far been absent from the matchday squad against Brentford and Everton this season as he struggles with fitness following his long summer exploits.

De Zerbi has hailed the player as 'one of the three best right backs in the world' but is yet to see the Spaniard at his top levels this season. Spurs have instead had to deploy Gray as a makeshift option at right back.

The former Leeds United man put in a workhorse shift against Aston Villa, almost hitting the back of the net shortly after coming on, but was part of a leaky Spurs back four that conceded three goals in front of a home crowd.

Gray was, perhaps, the least suspect of the defensive line and holds the respect of De Zerbi. Speaking in May, the Spurs head coach labelled Gray as a 'future Tottenham captain'.

He said: "He is very young, [but] big potential as a player. I think he can become the future.

> "I am sure he can become the future of this club and the captain of this club. He has to understand better what will be his position on the pitch."

Spurs continued their winless start to the season on Saturday

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