The Aporia · Why £85m signing did not start for Tottenham as Roberto De Zerbi makes Mykhailo Mudryk admission

Why £85m signing did not start for Tottenham as Roberto De Zerbi makes Mykhailo Mudryk admission

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Tabuteau, S. (2026, September 5). Why £85m signing did not start for Tottenham as Roberto De Zerbi makes Mykhailo Mudryk admission. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-de-zerbi-fernandes-mudryk-b1295904.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

Roberto De Zerbi, Tottenham's manager, revealed after the game that Mykhailo Mudryk was not started because he believed Manor Gallagher would be better suited to the physical tempo of the game, despite Mudryk being a £85m signing. De Zerbi admitted that Mudryk is still working on reaching his best physical condition and needs time to adapt. The team's midfielders covered 31.9km during the goalless match against Tottenham, with Gallagher being one of them. De Zerbi was impressed with the overall performance but expressed concerns about Mathys Tel's decision-making and Mudryk's lack of readiness.

Written by AI on 2026-09-05, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has admitted that he chose not to start midfielder Mateus Fernandes in a recent game because he thought another player, James Gallagher, would be better suited to the physical tempo of the match. De Zerbi's decision sparked speculation that Fernandes may have been injured, but the manager said the 22-year-old was simply not ready for a starting spot. Fernandes was eventually introduced in the 83rd minute and took only a few touches on the ball, struggling to make an impact in his cameo appearance. The game against West Ham ended goalless, with Tottenham's midfield trio covering a total of 31.9km as they battled for control in the centre of the park.

Written for “Chelsea Transfer Deal Controversy” on 2026-10-30, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 8% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Tottenham dealt fresh injury blow as Roberto De Zerbi issues two-man update Different event

Evening Standard

Hedges 1 of 12 claims Outlet record 65/100

“Article B mentions a different player (Mykhailo Mudryk) and a different match, while Article A discusses Dele Alli's injury update”

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

1 of 12 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

65/100

Evening Standard's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Sports

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Sam Tabuteau

94 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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All 94 articles by Sam Tabuteau →

Claims (12 extracted, 1 hedged)

The 22-year-old was introduced in the 83rd minute but struggled to impose himself on the game, taking the fewest touches of any Spurs player on the pitch. asserted

old → introduce → pitch

Fernandes’ exclusion from the starting lineup prompted talk that he may have picked up an injury, with the former West Ham man having struggled for fitness since arriving in north London this summer. uncertain

man → start → London

De Zerbi, though, admitted after the game that the Portuguese was fit and that the decision not to start him was taken as he believed Gallagher would be better suited to the physical tempo of the game. asserted

Gallagher → admit → game

A scrappy encounter ended goalless, with Spurs’ midfield three of Gallagher, Sandro Tonali and Rodrigo Bentancur covering 31.9km between them as they battled for control in the centre of the park. "I have experience to know enough what is this stadium. asserted

what → end → experience

This stadium is England football and Gallagher he knows better this type of game. asserted

he → know → game

Mateus will become for sure in my time at Tottenham one of the best players but I'm lucky because I have many good players and I have to find the right first XI [for each game],” De Zerbi said. asserted

Zerbi → become → game

The Italian was impressed with his team’s performance as they held on for their first point of the season. asserted

they → hold → season

However, he went on to add that there was a lot more to come from Mathys Tel - the young French winger endured a difficult afternoon as his decision-making let him down in the final third - while suggesting that debutant Mykhailo Mudryk will take time to adapt after an ineffectual cameo off the bench. asserted

Mudryk → go → bench

He's working to reach the best physical condition. asserted

He → work → condition

He needs time, he needs work. asserted

he → need → work

In that position, we have Tel, big potential. asserted

we → have → Tel

But also Mathys takes too many wrong decisions, and Mudryk. asserted

Mathys → take → decisions

Why £85m signing did not start for Tottenham as Roberto De Zerbi makes Mykhailo Mudryk admission

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Claims (12 extracted, 1 hedged)