According to a report by Football London on Wednesday October 21, 2026, Tottenham Hotspur are expected to be without seven senior players against Chelsea this weekend, although manager Roberto De Zerbi could receive a significant boost with Pedro Porro nearing fitness.

Spurs head into the London derby after defeating Coventry City 3-1 on Monday, with James Maddison, Omar Marmoush and Ben Davies scoring. Dejan Kulusevski also returned after 17 months.

The victory lifted Tottenham to 16th in the Premier League standings, but their upcoming encounter against Chelsea presents a difficult challenge, with Xabi Alonso's side currently occupying fourth position.

Chelsea secured a 2-0 victory over Everton last Saturday, strengthening their promising start under Alonso. De Zerbi will therefore welcome any improvements to his squad before travelling to Stamford Bridge.

Porro could return after suffering a hamstring injury during Tottenham's defeat against Aston Villa on September 19. The Spanish defender was substituted after 19 minutes and subsequently missed two matches.

The right-back recently posted a training video, describing his recovery as "almost back." De Zerbi subsequently suggested the defender might feature against Chelsea, offering encouragement ahead of Sunday's encounter.

Speaking before the Coventry victory, De Zerbi said: "Pedro, I think he's coming. Maybe in Chelsea he can play." His possible availability would strengthen Tottenham's defensive options considerably.

However, Destiny Udogie remains a concern after experiencing knee discomfort following the Manchester United match. De Zerbi explained that Tottenham avoided risking the defender against Coventry because of the problem.

Andy Robertson, Tosin Adarabioyo and Omar Marmoush also sustained knocks during Monday's victory, although De Zerbi indicated their problems were not serious, providing some reassurance regarding their immediate fitness.

Lucas Bergvall, Mykhailo Mudryk and Savio are expected to miss the Chelsea fixture because of their respective injuries. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert remain unavailable while recovering from knee surgeries.

Rodrigo Bentancur will also be absent after receiving a red card against Manchester United, leaving Tottenham without another important option for the London derby.

The seven expected absentees are Simons, Odobert, Udogie, Bentancur, Bergvall, Mudryk and Savio. Porro's potential return could nevertheless provide Tottenham with encouragement ahead of their challenging meeting against Chelsea.