Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a major blow ahead of next week’s UEFA Europa League final, as manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed that attacking midfielder Dejan Kulusevski will be sidelined for several months following knee surgery.
Kulusevski sustained the injury during Spurs’ 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend. What initially seemed like a minor issue escalated quickly, with the Sweden international undergoing surgery soon after.
“Obviously disappointing news,” Postecoglou told reporters ahead of Friday’s league clash with Aston Villa. “Initially we thought it wasn’t too serious… it kind of blew up the day after and we knew there was an issue. He’s had the surgery, which will put him out for at least a few months.”
The Australian manager could not confirm whether Kulusevski would be fit in time for the start of next season, adding, “We’ll see. I only have basic information at the moment in terms of recovery, but it’ll certainly put him out for a while.”
Spurs’ injury woes continue, as Lucas Bergvall, another Swedish international, is also not ready to return from an ankle injury. James Maddison, one of the team’s key playmakers, is already sidelined with a knee issue.
“It’s been tough,” said Postecoglou. “Every time we look like we’re getting to a decent place squad-wise, invariably we’ve been hit by injuries.”
Despite the setbacks, there was a silver lining with the return of captain Son Heung-min, who featured against Palace after recovering from a foot injury. The South Korean star is expected to play a role against Aston Villa, though Postecoglou said a decision would be made on whether he starts or comes off the bench.
Currently languishing 17th in the league and having lost seven of their last ten league matches, Spurs are hoping for a lift in their final Premier League fixtures before the Europa League showdown with Manchester United.
Postecoglou reaffirmed his intent to field a strong side against sixth-placed Aston Villa and use the match as a platform for players to stake their claim for the final in midweek.
“We are certainly going to go out there to try to win the game tomorrow and put out a team that hopefully gets that job done,” he said. “This is a challenge for the players… it’s an opportunity for them to put their name forward for the big game the following week.”
Tottenham face Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday, a match Postecoglou previously described as a potential turning point in the club’s season.
