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Although the meltdowns after a dismal Tottenham Hotspur loss to Brighton in the Premier League this weekend would seem to indicate otherwise, the widespread admiration from Spurs fans for Ange Postecoglou was palpable after the controversial and embroiled manager delivered the club's third ever Europa League triumph and their first title of any kind in nearly two decades.

Postecoglou's future with or without a Europa League title has always been murky, and there's a school of thought that says that Tottenham should make their decision based on the competition with a bigger sample size, especially a bigger sample size of facing high quality opposition. Manchester United, for example, rued their decision to keep Erik ten Hag based on winning the FA Cup.

But the Europa League title is a bigger deal than the FA Cup; the FA Cup is what leads to Europa League qualification, which is how Manchester United got to be the team that Tottenham beat in order to win the Europa League and Champions League.

Tottenham could lose a star player with Big Ange

More importantly, there are more reasons to keep Postecoglou than just philosophy or emotions. According to a report from the Evening Standard's Dan Kilpatrick, keeping Postecoglou possibly increases the chances of Tottenham keeping center back Cristian Romero, who has a close relationship with the coach. Romero's future and willingness to remain with the club could end up being tied with the future of Postecoglou.

At one point, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Romero would leave Tottenham. He was openly flirting with a transfer away from the club, and there was even one rumor stating that he had already agreed to terms with Atletico Madrid.

After his big-game performances in multiple knockout-swinging ties in the Europa League and his status as the competition's literal Player of the Season, there's been a bigger push from Spurs supporters to keep Romero in town, and if that's the case, then those same fans should then have more of an inkling towards keeping Postecoglou, too.

It's hard to be 100 percent Big Ange out, because even if the results in the Premier League have been alarmingly bad and he has serious tactical flaws, he still won the Europa League and has close ties with key players like Romero. Are there any coaches out there better enough than Postecoglou that it is worth losing Romero? Should Tottenham say "screw it" and replace both men? These are the questions Daniel Levy is going to have to answer in the coming days.

Tottenham won the 2024/25 Europa League to salvage what was a historically poor campaign in the Premier League, and the main protagonists were their nucleus of young talent. Winger Brennan Johnson delivered the lone goal in the final against Manchester United, while the center back pairing of MIcky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were unstoppable in the must-win knockout matches against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodo Glimt, and Man United.

Spurs have learned over years of underperforming that the key is to invest in a nucleus of young players with the potential to become legitimate top stars in the Premier League. It is better to roll the dice on high-upside prospects like Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall and then whiff on them, rather than bloating the squad with overpaid veterans or players with limited potential.

With Champions League football on the horizon after a 17th-placed finish in the Premier League, Tottenham are facing a very pivotal transfer window in the history of their club. According to a report from Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Tottenham aren't going to deviate from their new transfer policy of focusing on young gems with high potential. That will be their focus on the market this summer, and they will not bow down to the temptation of short-term signings even with Champions League football returning for them.

Youngsters can help Spurs short-term more than overpaid veterans

It's a wise strategy. As Van de Ven, Bergvall, and others have shown the Spurs faithful over the last couple of years, these young talents are often more likely to immediately contribute than some of the more hyped and more expensive "name-brand" additions, such as Richarlison and Timo Werner. And whereas the latter end up with diminished value and no place in the team, players like Bergvall can only get better and better.

Tottenham just have to make sure they sign the right players and balance their young signings between talents around the teenage years with high future potential and players around the age of 23 who also have great potential but are more ready to start games for a club of Tottenham's stature and ambition within the next season or two.

As long as Tottenham stay the course and don't get discouraged by a couple of flops here and there, the wins on the transfer market will slowly add up into a cohesive, ascending squad with great team chemistry that can be readily refreshed with tuned-in scouting networks year after a year. It's a process that Tottenham have to learn to trust if they want to truly have a team come together that wins titles like the Premier League or Champions League one day.

Tottenham superstar Son Heung-min didn't have the best season of his career in 2024/25, as his numbers plummeted in the second half of the campaign and he was hobbled by a nagging foot injury that needed to take him out of the action for about a month.

But Son came back and pushed through the pain, playing a key role as Tottenham secured a major trophy, taking home the Europa League title from fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United in Bilbao to punch an unlikely ticket to the Champions League.

Amidst all of this, Son was the subject of some transfer speculation amidst the rise of young loan signing Mathys Tel and his own injury-plagued and mostly down season. Saudi Arabia had previously shown significant interest in a 50 million euro bid for the 32-year-old South Korean superstar, and that would represent a big investment in an aging player that Tottenham could then turn into transfer capital for a young player suiting their now policy.

Son Heung-min could recover his form next season

At the same time, Son is Son, and even though he is 32 and coming off a bad year, there's a sense that not only are his experience and character important to Tottenham, but, also, his numbers weren't any worse than anybody else at Tottenham; his form could potentially recover with better tactics.

It appears Tottenham feel the same way about keeping Son. According to a report from Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Tottenham will not be entertaining any transfer offers for their biggest club legend this summer and will be triggering a one-year extension to keep him through the next season. Spurs believe his experience will be additioinally vital with a return to the Champions League.

This transfer news comes after rumors that Tottenham could replace Son with a younger, ambitious Premier League star in his prime. That doesn't appear to be the case, though Son could always be paired with a big name through the sale of other players to fund a move, including Europa League hero Cristian Romero.

As the celebrations continue after Tottenham's historic 1-0 triumph over Manchester United in Wednesday's Europa League Final, more information emanating from the match highlights just how much the players put it all on the line to give Spurs this victory.

According to Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, both star left winger Son Heung-min and center back Cristian Romero played through injuries or were lacking full fitness in the Europa League Final, via The Spurs Express. Therefore, neither player will be available for Sunday's final Premier League match of the season against Brighton.

Obviously, the match against Brighton carries no real stakes at this point, as the season has been done and dusted for Spurs for quite some time. So Son and Romero will get some deserved rest, and opportunities will go to players like Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso who should be stars of the future for Tottenham.

Cristian Romero has earned more respect

But the bigger takeaway here is how much spirit is in this Tottenham squad. Son's dedication to Spurs is known to everyone, and he was finally able to fight his way back from a foot injury to play the minutes he needed to in the Premier League before the Europa League Final and then did his job well in the match against Manchester United itself.

In addition to Son confirming that he is one of the most important characters in the history of Tottenham, Romero did a lot to put himself back in the good graces of fans. The vice captain became a magnet for criticism after an interview in which he stated he dreamed of a LaLiga transfer, which was shortly followed up with rumors that he had already agreed to a deal to join Atletico Madrid.

While that transfer hasn't come to fruition yet, there are many who feel that Romero is as good as gone at the club, and Tottenham have already been looking at potential transfer replacements at center back, such as Inter Milan star Yann Bisseck and Bologna's underrated Jhon Lucumi.

But Romero has been so important in the Europa League and was such a presence against the Manchester United attack on Wednesday that he is more difficult to get rid of than some Spurs fans would have liked to think. And by playing so well in these games while at less than 100 percent, Romero is showing that he bleeds for Tottenham just as much as any other player despite the hoopla that was made after his rather unwise interview declaration.

Tottenham are Europa League champions and have salvaged something out of a season that would otherwise have been their worst in club history. Now, the focus for Spurs in the back room turns immediately from the celebrations to an offseason of vital decisions and ruthless execution.

One of the key areas for Tottenham to upgrade is the midfield. Although they've unearthed a real gem this season in 19-year-old Lucas Bergvall and have high hopes for Archie Gray, there isn't enough star power in the middle of the park beyond James Maddison in the playmaker role.

A key transfer target for Tottenham is Real Betis standout Johnny Cardoso, for whom Spurs have a 21 million pound release clause. This clause is specially for Tottenham to use this summer as a sweetener in the deal that brought Giovani Lo Celso back to Real Betis last year.

Atletico Madrid seem favored over Tottenham

The problem is that there has been increasing buzz that Cardoso isn't interested in leaving Betis this summer, which would make the clause null and void, leaving the United States international ripe for a potential transfer somewhere else in 2026.

Now to make matters worse, it sounds like one of those competitors is gaining ground. Per a report from MARCA's Isaac Suarez and David G. Medina, Atletico Madrid are showing even more interest in Cardoso as a transfer target this summer, with Diego Simeone and others at the club highly interested in the young midfielder as a less expensive (in wages) alternative to Arsenal veteran Thomas Partey.

Atletico Madrid are a fixture in the Champions League and frequent title contenders in LaLiga. They hold a lot of cachet in world football and in Spain, and if Cardoso enjoys LaLiga, that could be another reason for the American to wait a year in Seville before moving to the capital in 2026.

Tottenham could be doubly annoyed by a Cardoso transfer to Atletico Madrid, since the Rojiblancos have been a rumored landing spot for Rodrigo Bentancur, who could be someone Spurs seek to move in 2026.

Cardoso seems to have designs on clubs other than Tottenham, and even a Europa League triumph may not sway his decision. Tottenham won't want to lose out on a key transfer target to another European power, especially not a young box-to-box midfielder who is one of the best young players ever produced by the United States. Worse yet, Spurs would lose out on a player who has a release clause with them, so Daniel Levy and Co. need to make a move here quickly to try and change things.

Nobody believed him, but Ange Postecoglou delivered on his promise to bring silverware to Tottenham Hotspur in his second season. Now, he has made another bold statement to the fans.

It has become almost impossible for Spurs to move on from Postecoglou after he delivered the Europa League title in Bilbao — Tottenham's first major trophy in 17 years and their first European championship in 41 years.

The players love him, including captain Heung-min Son, and the energy and love during Tottenham's Europa League parade was infectious. It was there, on stage in front of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Postecoglou delivered another promise to the fans.

"I told them, and they laughed. I told them, and they didn't believe. But here we are," said Postecoglou. "I'll tell you something. I'll leave you with this: all the best television series, Season 3 is better than Season 2."

What a line.

Postecoglou famously said he always wins silverware in his second season, and he plans to follow it with an even bigger third year. But wait, will there even be another season?

Ange Postecoglou's comments all but confirm Tottenham return after winning Europa League

For months, it felt like Postecoglou was on borrowed time. Would we have been surprised if Daniel Levy had moved on after the team's 4-0 EFL Cup exit to Liverpool? After their home loss to Leicester City? After needing extra time to eliminate non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup?

Levy stuck with his man, and Ange repaid the faith.

There's surely no way he moves on now, right? The fans showed nothing but love to Postecoglou during the championship celebrations, just like they sang his name in Bilbao on Wednesday.

Perhaps Ange's comments were designed to force Levy's hand, but it seems unlikely he would make such a public promise without knowing his return to N17 was already guaranteed.

He left no uncertainty. There were no cryptic comments. Postecoglou said nothing about hoping to return, and he didn't even hint at the possibility that this was the end of the line.

Ange made it clear: you enjoyed that? Well, Season 3 is even better.

We don't have a crystal ball, but Postecoglou seemingly does. He boldly (and correctly) predicted he would end Spurs' 17-year trophy drought. Now, Ange may have ended the mystery of his future in North London.

Unfortunately, James Maddison didn't get to play in Tottenham's historic Europa League Final triumph over Manchester United in Bilbao. But even though a knee injury kept Maddison out of the match, the top-class Premier League playmaker was still crucial to Spurs getting that far.

Maddison had a great all-around Europa League tournament with three goals and three assists along with 1.7 key passes and three combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game. In additon to being Tottenham's best playmaker, Maddison was an important secondary source of goals and ball progression, cementing his status as one of the better 10's in European football and someone still able to start in that role in the modern game.

Maybe more importantly for Tottenham fans, Maddison has proven to be an important character in the dressing room who fights for the kit and has embraced the club. An FA Cup winner at Leicester City years after the Foxes had already completed their miracle Premier League win, Maddison is now hoisting the biggest trophy of his career for Tottenham.

James Maddison got the last laugh

What makes that even sweeter is how everyone doubted he'd accomplish exactly that at Spurs. Maddison remembers it too, and he had this to say to the press after the Europa League Final, via the Spurs Express, “When I joined Spurs everyone made the jokes. ‘Ah he’s retired from winning trophies’. I told my dad and my brother I’m going to lift a trophy for Tottenham."

Well, now, Maddison has the last laugh as a European Champion for Tottenham, just two seasons after joining one of the biggest clubs in England.

As if that quote weren't enough, Maddison dropped another gem at the expense of former Manchester United Roy Keane, one of the biggest Tottenham haters and easily among the crustiest of the decadently rotten pie that it is English football punditry, “I wasn’t gonna do any interviews but I heard Roy Keane was in the studio tonight."

Absolutely, brilliant. As bad as this Tottenham team was in the Premier League - and they were literally historically bad - they were still able to win the Europa League, and a lot of that is down to the self-belief of the players and their ability to get the job done in big games.

Maddison, for example, is a playmaker, but he's not a diva at all, which is the stereotype for these talented and technical attacking midfield players. He's someone wiling to be a leader, work hard, play defense, and stick his neck out for his team and the fans. Although these quotes are just words, they symbolize the mentality, fighting spirit, and tongue-in-cheek moxie a player needs to succeed at a club like Tottenham, where embracing the underdog is imperative.

Tottenham Hotspur face an unusual decision that reflects the contrast of emotions as the curtain falls on their rollercoaster season.

What's next for Ange Postecoglou? Will he stay, or will he go?

Heung-min Son, who deservedly lifted the Europa League trophy into the Bilbao sky, has made his stance crystal clear.

"He won the trophy. Nobody did it, so," Son said, according to Alasdair Gold of football.london. "It's not up to me or the players, but we just have to look at the facts, at the fact that we haven't won in 17 years, today is the day we finally won it. It's the manager who wins the trophy. So we see what's going to happen."

Son delivered a message directed straight at Daniel Levy, who faces arguably the most challenging decision of his tenure.

Postecoglou's Spurs delivered a historically poor Premier League performance, with the team entering the final weekend in a battle to lift themselves out of 17th. But it's contrasted by a night in Bilbao that will live for eternity, with Spurs fans rewarded for enduring the gloomiest storm in recent memory and finally reaching the other side to experience the rainbow.

Is it a false dawn that requires a managerial shift or a historical turning point that can lead Tottenham into an exciting new era under Ange?

Daniel Levy should listen to Heung-min Son about Ange Postecoglou's future

It almost makes no sense to retain a manager who, in another season, may have sent Tottenham into the Championship with a pathetic 38 points from 37 games.

But how can Levy fire a manager who just delivered Tottenham's proudest moment in over four decades?

How can Levy fire a coach whom the players adore? Son went to bat for Postecoglou after the game, despite being relegated to the bench at kickoff, and it was clear by the emotional postgame moments Ange shared with his players that they love him.

If there's one way to quickly deflate the locker room after such a monumental achievement, it's to send the man behind it packing.

It truly makes no sense to retain a manager who took a Spurs team with Champions League aspirations into a near-relegation scrap. But that's the beautiful paradox they find themselves in. Ange's to-do list included clinching Champions League football and winning a trophy.

He checked both boxes with Wednesday's gutsy win over Manchester United.

Spurs cycled through "proven winners" like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. They won nothing. It was Postecoglou, the manager they settled on after an exhausting and frustrating search, who brought silverware back to N17.

The league table doesn't lie, but nor does the emotion, joy, and relief shared after the most important Tottenham win for generations.

Retaining Ange makes zero sense, but it also makes complete sense. Son is right — Spurs should roll the dice and keep the coach who made this happen.

Tottenham Hotspur clash with Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday (May 21). Ange Postecoglou is on the cusp of becoming the first manager since Keith Burkinshaw in 1984 to guide the Lilywhites to a European trophy.

It's one of the most important games in both clubs' recent history, with a chance to win silverware at stake and qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League. If the two Premier League sides' encounter is anything like most of their last scraps, we're in for a treat.

Tottenham vs Man United past results in the last 10 meetings

Here is how this season's Europa League finalists have squared off in each of their last ten meetings.

Tottenham 1-0 Manchester United - Premier League (February 16, 2025)

James Maddison grabbed the only goal of the game in the 13th minute to ease the pressure on Postecoglou amid a concerning start to 2025. It was just the second time this season that Spurs had won back to back games and it came at home against an extremely wasteful United side.

Tottenham 4-3 Manchester United - Carabao Cup (December 19, 2024)

This seven-goal thriller is what many hope will ensue when the two sides meet in San Mames this week. It was a game that had everything including stunning strikes, goalkeeper howlers and nearly a remarkable comeback.

Dominic Solanke (15', 54'), Dejan Klusevski (46') and Son Heung-Min (88') were on target for Spurs. The Red Devils hit back through Joshua Zirkzee (63'), Amad (70') and Jonny Evans (90+4').

Manchester United 0-3 Tottenham - Premier League (September 29, 2024)

Tottenham's thrashing of United in September gave fans optimism that Postecoglou's men would be right up there come the end of the season. It turned out to be a red herring as their fallen opponents were there for the taking.

Nevertheless, it was one of the Lilywhites' best performances this season with Brennan Johnson (3'), Dejan Kulusevski (47') and Dominic Solanke (77'). Of course all the talk coming out of the game was Bruno Fernandes' sending off.

Manchester United 2-2 Tottenham - Premier League (January 14, 2024)

The last time United managed to come away with at least a draw was back in January 2024 and Spurs probably merited all three points. Rasmus Hojlund (3') had stolen a lead only for Richarlison (19') to equalise.

Marcus Rashford, whose loan spell at Aston Villa means he will miss the Europa League final, put the hosts back in front (40'). But Rodrigo Bentancur (46') came to the fore as Ange's troops settled on a draw.

Tottenham 2-0 Manchester United - Premier League (August 19, 2023)

Another Spurs win and this was one to celebrate amid Postecoglou overseeing his first home game with the club. It was a well deserved and dominant victory which saw Pape Matar Sarr score his first league goal (49') before Lisandro Martinez's late own goal (83').

Tottenham 2-2 Manchester United - Premier League (April 27, 2023)

Son Heung-Min's late 79th equaliser ensured Ryan Mason's first game back in caretaker charge finished honors even. The Lilywhites pulled off a comeback draw courtesy of Pedro Porro's 56th-minute lifeline strike after his side had fallen behind to goals from Jadon Sancho (7') and Marcus Rashford (44').

Manchester United 2-0 Tottenham - Premier League (October 19, 2022)

The last time United beat Spurs was nearly three years ago and only five of the players that started that game remain with the club. Fred opened the scoring in the 47th minute before Bruno Fernandes made it two 22 minutes later.

Manchester United 3-2 Tottenham - Premier League (March 12, 2022)

Another entertaining affair between two of English football's fallen giants came in early 2022 when Cristiano Ronaldo made history. The Portuguese forward hit a hat-trick (12', 38', 81') to be recognised by FIFA as world football's all-time top scorer.

Spurs had replied through Harry Kane (35' P) and Harry Maguire's own goal (72') but Ronaldo conjured up brilliance. At least he can't have a say in the final in Bilbao.

Tottenham 0-3 Manchester United - Premier League (October 30, 2021)

The tide has turned over the years in meetings between the two clubs as United were on a four-game winning streak from April 2021 to October 2022. Their biggest result came in late October 2021 when Cristiano Ronaldo (39'), Edinson Cavani (64') and Marcus Rashford (86') struck in a 3-0 away win.

Tottenham 1-3 Manchester United - Premier League (April 11, 2021)

Son Heung-Min's opener (40') was in vain as United surged to another victory on the Lilywhites' stomping ground. Fred (57'), Edinson Cavani (79') and Mason Greenwood (90+6') helped Ole Gunnar Solskjaer come away with all three points.

There was already so much riding on Tottenham Hotspur's shot at ending their 17-year trophy drought, but Fabrizio Romano has thrown in another curveball.

Spurs meet Manchester United in Wednesday's Europa League final.

Beyond the desperation to win their first trophy since the Juande Ramos era and Ange Postecoglou potentially coaching for his job, Tottenham's performance could determine Cristian Romero's future with the club, as Wednesday's victors will also qualify for next season's Champions League.

"His contract at the moment is not even close to being extended. This is why the situation of Cuti Romero could be one to watch," Romano said on the Here We Go podcast. "In this case, I think Champions League football could have an impact on the future of the player. Let's see if Tottenham will be in the Champions League next season or not. This is going to be important."

Romero's future remains a major question mark, and it feels that for Tottenham to have any chance of retaining the World Cup-winning defender, they must get past Man United and secure Champions League qualification.

Tottenham need to beat Man United in Europa League final to avoid losing Cristian Romero this summer

Spurs' rumored interest in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is no coincidence. He would fill the void left by Romero, but wrestling the England international away from the new FA Cup champions won't be easy.

As Romano said, there has been interest from Spain in Romero. That's a potential hint at the speculation about Atletico Madrid.

To some extent, Tottenham hold the cards — Romero remains under contract for two more seasons.

However, if his heart is away from N17 and he has no interest in extending the deal, Spurs need to make a move now while they can demand top-of-the-market money. If nothing else, Daniel Levy must ensure Tottenham receive a massive transfer fee to reinvest into their depleted squad.

Spurs fans have accepted that Romero may push for his exit. A loss to Man United and an impending European competition-less season would likely seal his fate.

But if Spurs can remove the "It's only Tottenham" tag and take down Man United in Bilbao, maybe, just maybe, the prospect of Champions League football could make a new contract look a little sweeter for Romero.

A loss on Wednesday, and Levy may need to pick up the phone to Palace about Guehi.