Football London

Ange Postecoglou said switching Celtic for Tottenham Hotspur was a "tough decision", but the club's current woes may be harder to work through.

After leading Celtic to two Scottish Premierships and a trio of domestic cup triumphs within his tenure from 2021 to 2023, Postecoglou took on a new endeavour in north London, armed with a four-year contract.

At his inaugural press conference as Spurs' head coach, Postecoglou said: "We had some fantastic success and great moments within that and I'll cherish them, but I am the kind of guy who always loves a challenge - I love a build, I love a rebuild.

"That's where I feel I am at my best and this challenge, when it came along, I just thought had all the elements of what I need to get going again." Postecoglou also told the Irish Examiner about his rationale behind the move, adding: "I came to this club with a clear purpose and vision of what the club needed and what I could offer.

"That is to change the way the team plays, to obviously rejuvenate the squad because it was a squad that was coming towards the end of a cycle and to bring success," reports the Mirror.

However, a fresh chapter at Tottenham has been anything but smooth sailing, with his debut season ending with the team in fifth place in the Premier League standings.

Postecoglou's second term at Tottenham has proven to be a far more formidable test, with Spurs lingering in 15th in the league and relying on Europa League glory to salvage their season. With a tally of only 11 victories from 32 Premier League fixtures, the Spurs boss is under scrutiny, facing calls for change from supporters and critics.

Yet, Postecoglou is standing firm and still striving for success at Tottenham. He said recently: "As long as I'm in this position, that's always my focus, irrespective of whatever noise there is or what there may or not be in the future.

"I don't see that that should diminish my burning ambition, my desire and my determination to make that happen. Anything you achieve in life usually comes with a struggle.

"Certainly everything I have achieved in my life has come with a struggle from a professional perspective. This is just another struggle, but never through this struggle have I lost the will to fight for what I think is the right thing to do and I'll continue to do that."

Postecoglou's journey in football management traces back to 1996 with South Melbourne, through national youth roles for Australia, and then into diverse club stints including Panachaiki, Whittlesea Zebras, Brisbane Roar, and Melbourne Victory, painting a career rich with varied accomplishments. Postecoglou then took charge of the Australian national team from 2013 to 2017, clinching the AFC Asian Cup in 2015.

He later managed Yokohama F Marinos and Celtic before taking over at Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs are preparing for an away match against Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.

The first leg was held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Thursday, ending in a 1-1 draw. Hugo Ekitike put the visitors ahead just six minutes into the game, but Pedro Porro levelled the score for Spurs 20 minutes later.

With the semi-finals looming, Postecoglou and his Tottenham squad face a tough task if they hope to progress and take on either Lazio or Bodo/Glimt at the end of the month.

Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham's season hinges on the outcome of Thursday night's Europa League quarter-final tie against Eintracht Frankfurt. The sides played out a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium one week ago, meaning Spurs have to win out in Germany if they are to secure a place in the final four of the competition.

That is going to be some challenge for the north London club but if they repeat last Thursday's showing then they can indeed get the better of their European opponents. Tottenham really should have won the first leg encounter after creating a number of openings in the second half.

However, they didn't take them and now they have to try and inflict Eintracht Frankfurt's first European home defeat of the season. What Tottenham must do is try and silence the home faithful as the atmosphere inside Deutsche Bank Park could prove key on the night.

Ahead of Thursday's pivotal game in Germany, our Spurs writers at football.london have named the sides they would pick for the quarter-final tie against Eintracht Frankfurt:

Alasdair Gold - Tottenham Hotspur correspondent

It's all or nothing for Postecoglou so he has to play his best players and for me that needs to include Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede has only just returned from injury and got 19 minutes or so, including added time, on Sunday but he's a super fit guy so with another three days of training he might be ready to start and play for an hour.

Elsewhere the main decision comes with the full-backs. Destiny Udogie is likely to come back in because he was rested, along with the other benched players and he did play well in the first leg, but it's a big call to leave Djed Spence out as he's been one of the Spurs' few in-form players in recent months. Personally I'm going for Spence in my team but I reckon Postecoglou will revert to his original full-backs.

Up front, Son was rested to recover from his foot injury and while he hasn't been in top form - none of them have - I think his experience of big games is needed on this occasion.

Postecoglou will also need Lucas Bergvall, Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario to all put their mistakes from the weekend behind them because they're an important trio to the team.

Gold's team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son.

Rob Guest - Football writer

Dejan Kulusevski has to start if Tottenham are going to progress beyond Eintracht Frankfurt and secure a place in the final four of the Europa League. It's not really ideal that the Swede has only played 15 minutes since the end of February but this match is so important and the same goes for Kulusevski in the Spurs XI.

Guglielmo Vicario remains in goal despite his performance at Wolves and both Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven come into the side from the weekend. Djed Spence can count himself incredibly unlucky but I think it's only right Destiny Udogie starts after impressing in the first leg against the German side last week.

In midfield, it's an easy choice with Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison starting as usual. Kulusevski comes in on the right next to Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel gets the nod over Son Heung-min on the left.

Tel has scored two goals in his last three games and a return to Germany could suit him down to the ground. Richarlison can then be an option from the bench in the second half and potentially have a say on the outcome of the tie as Spurs aim to advance.

Guest's team: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Tel.

Sinking Saints and preparing for Frankfurt - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Whatever way you look at it, this season at Tottenham has been a big disappointment. Big things were hoped for after a mixed first season under Ange Postecoglou, which saw a lightning start to the Premier League campaign dip as the months went on.

This year there has been a horrendous run of injuries, with senior players like Cristian Romero, Guglielmo Vicario and Micky van de Ven among others missing months of action. However, even with the caveat of an awful injury problem, the results haven't been good enough.

Spurs currently sit 15th in the Premier League having lost 17 of their 32 games so far. While they won't get relegated this season, the fact that there is even a possibility this late in the campaign speaks volumes about how bad it has been.

The pressure on Postecoglou's position as head-coach has been intense for some time. Spurs' last hope of success this season is the Europa League, but speculation has been rife now that the 59-year-old will be sacked if there is anything but a trophy lift in May - and perhaps even if there is.

Naturally, other managers become linked to the job. There have been a host, with Fulham boss Marco Silva, Brentford manager Thomas Frank and Bournemouth head-coach Andoni Iraola have been named as potential candidates.

However, it now looks like Bournemouth boss Iraola will be staying on the south coast, with the 42-year-old apparently moving closer to committing his future to the Vitality Stadium. If that happens, who should Spurs target instead if Postecoglou is sacked? football.london writers have their say...

Joe Doyle

Of the potential candidates, I think Andoni Iraola would be my top choice should Ange Postecoglou be sacked. However, if he's also not available, I think Thomas Frank has proven he can get good results from a team that is better than the sum of their parts.

Added to that, his side can play an exciting style of football, but have also shown their adaptability since arriving in the Premier League in 2021. He's also shown a great loyalty to Brentford since joining them, and that does count for something for me.

Marco Silva would be a good option, no question. But I think for me there would always be the lingering feeling that he's waiting for the next big move. There's nothing necessarily wrong with having big ambitions, but I think if you look at his managerial career so far, Fulham is the longest time he's spent in one role with three-and-a-half years at Craven Cottage. Before that it was five clubs in five years. Perhaps he's just found a role that suits him very well in west London.

I think by the summer there will be a couple more candidates available, but Spurs will doubtless have done their due diligence already if they do feel Postecoglou's time at the club will come to an end this season. If Iraola is unavailable, I'd go for Frank.

Tom Coley

Iraola is right to be a top candidate for Tottenham right now, even if it looks like he may well turn them down regardless. However, few will be too confident of predicting just how well the next manager will go.

Questions remain over how well set up the club is for any head coach. Then again, there is enough talent in the squad to do better than Postecoglou has managed, injuries or not.

Iraola would be a move away from Postecoglou in that his approach focuses on off-the-ball excellence but the energy demanded by both could aid a potential transition. There are other nice names in this conversation, though.

Silva has worked well on a budget and whilst losing players at Fulham. He deserves a step up and this really could be it. Frank is another worthy of consideration.

He has been able to elevate Brentford over three years in the top flight and is also highly adaptable. He is a brilliant communicator and although there is not the same macho charisma, Frank remains incredibly intelligent.

Iraola will be the one most look towards, which is fair enough, but it is hard to split these three. As an outsider, Stuttgart's Sebastian Hoeness is extremely exciting and is the sort of manager that Tottenham have historically looked towards as well.

Hannah Pinnock

The difficulty Tottenham would face if they decide to part ways with Postecoglou at the end of the season is the glaring lack of top-quality managerial options currently available.

In the Premier League, Fulham’s Silva and Bournemouth’s Iraola stand out as the most compelling candidates. However, prising either away would be difficult - particularly Iraola, who is in the midst of building something quite impressive at the Vitality Stadium.

As a more left-field option, Spurs should seriously consider doing everything in their power to lure Mauricio Pochettino back to north London. The Argentine has previously expressed a desire to return to the club one day, though convincing him to leave his current role with the USMNT, especially with a home World Cup on the horizon, would be a challenge.

That said, recent results during the March international break, including defeats to Panama and Canada, have raised concerns about the team’s readiness for a major tournament. It remains to be seen whether those performances have shaken confidence in his tenure stateside.

The compensation required to release him from his current contract would likely run into the tens of millions, making a return improbable. Still, if Spurs are serious about rediscovering the identity that once served them so brilliantly, he is the standout candidate.

He’s a figure the fans could easily rally behind, and with the relationship already established, the transition would be seamless. Above all, he is a true project manager - and right now, Tottenham are a project crying out to be rebuilt.

Tottenham have suffered a blow amid uncertainty over the future of Ange Postecoglou, with a potential replacement target reportedly closing in on committing his future to his current club.

A poor season in the Premier League, with Spurs currently sitting in 15th position in the table, has led to talk over the future of head coach Postecoglou. The club have already been linked with potential replacements.

One of those is Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola. The 42-year-old has impressed since joining the Cherries in the summer of 2023, their 1-0 win over Fulham on Monday night means that they sit in eighth place in the Premier League table.

Last month Iraola was named by the Telegraph as one of the leading contenders to take over from Postecoglou if Spurs felt the need to make a change in the summer. However, the same outlet now report that the Spaniard is ‘moving towards’ committing his future to Bournemouth.

He currently has a contract that runs until the summer of 2026, but it is now reported that Bournemouth are trying to convince the manager to sign a new deal. It is added that Iraola is ‘inclined’ to stay with Bournemouth beyond the current season.

The reports come just weeks after Iraola himself opened up on his future. When asked if he could achieve his managerial ambitions with Bournemouth, he said: "I want to do my job the best I can.

“I don't know how far we can go, where we will finish. I want to do my job the best I can. If I don't do the job very well, they will find someone else.

“I'm really happy here. We have a great opportunity to make history and it would be amazing for me personally, for the club to achieve new heights but we know that we have to be realistic, there are better teams than us and we have to fight against teams that are very good. We will try to give the best level we have."

Postecoglou’s future at Spurs could potentially rest on their achievements in Europe this season. Spurs are in Europa League quarter-final action on Thursday night when they take on Eintracht Frankfurt away with the score locked at 1-1 from the first leg.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank is another name to be linked with Tottenham. The Dane has a contract with the Bees running until 2027.

Sinking Saints and preparing for Frankfurt - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

It all comes down to Thursday night for Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham. There is so much pressure on the head coach's shoulders right now and he must find a way of getting the better of Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.

The sides played out a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Thursday after Pedro Porro had cancelled out Hugo Ekitike's early strike. It was a game Spurs really could have won given the chances they created in the second half, with Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur notably hitting the crossbar.

The tie is firmly poised, though, and Tottenham have a big task on their hands considering Eintracht Frankfurt have not lost at home in the Europa League this season. Postecoglou's men also have to deliver a top performance after their display at Wolves last weekend.

The boss will make changes to his team and we have decided to take a look below at who could come in for the Europa League showdown.

Pedro Porro for Archie Gray

Porro proved to be a key player in the first game between the sides and that will likely be the case once again given his quality on the ball. The Spaniard was an unused substitute at Wolves on Sunday but he will almost certainty come in and replace Archie Gray at right-back.

Micky van de Ven for Ben Davies

Micky van de Ven was another player who dropped to the bench at Wolves and didn't play at all. The Dutchman will be one of the first names on the teamsheet in Germany given his importance to the side.

He is so vital at the back for Spurs and his inclusion could possibly make a huge difference.

Destiny Udogie for Djed Spence

Destiny Udogie will also be nice and fresh after watching on from the bench against Wolves. The left-back was a standout player in the first leg tie against Eintracht Frankfurt and you would imagine he comes back in given his performance last Thursday.

Udogie attacked at every opportunity at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium one week ago and his runs forward are going to be key for Spurs.

Rodrigo Bentancur for Yves Bissouma

Postecoglou ideally would not have wanted to use Bentancur at Wolves but that was not possible given the team's struggles. The 27-year-old ended up playing 35 minutes in the West Midlands but this time he will be in from the off in Frankfurt.

Lucas Bergvall for Pape Matar Sarr

Bergvall was also needed from the bench against Wolves given what Postecoglou's side served up. The Swede did lose the ball for Matheus Cunha's late goal and he will want to atone for that error with a big display away at Eintracht Frankfurt.

The youngster was impressive in the first leg between the sides and extremely unlucky not to have a goal to his name after his rasping drive struck the crossbar. Bergvall may only be 19 years of age but he will be pivotal for the Lilywhites as they look to keep their Europa League dreams alive.

Son Heung-min/Richarlison for Mathys Tel

Mathys Tel will be hoping he has done enough to start again after scoring two goals in his last three appearances. The January addition knows Frankfurt well following his time in the Bundesliga and a game in Germany may well suit him down to the ground.

If Tel isn't named on the left-wing in the starting XI, Son Heung-min, providing he is fit, will be the favourite to start there. Richarlison should be another player to consider there after scoring late on in the Wolves defeat.

The Brazilian does make things happen when he is in the side but Postecoglou will have to decide if his player is fit enough to play a large portion of the contest after only recently returning from injury.

Dejan Kulusevski/Wilson Odobert for Brennan Johnson

Tottenham received a huge boost on Sunday with Dejan Kulusevski returning to the pitch for the first time since the end of February. The Swede may have only got 15 minutes to his name but that will have done him the world of good following a lengthy period on the sidelines.

Kulusevski is pivotal in Postecoglou's Tottenham XI and he may well put him in from the off given what is at stake for the team and also himself. Postecoglou explained on Sunday that he was managing Wilson Odobert's fitness and that raises questions over whether a start is possible.

If Kulusevski is in a position to start, he is named in the team by the boss.

Sinking Saints and preparing for Frankfurt - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Manor Solomon is set to be a wanted man this summer after an impressive season at Leeds United with the Championship side set to make their own decision on a permanent deal once their promotion status is settled.

Solomon has enjoyed another big week at the Premier League-chasing side with an assist in Leeds' 1-0 win at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night and then the 25-year-old scored after just four minutes and provided another assist nine minutes later on Saturday in the 2-1 victory against Preston at Elland Road.

The tricky Spurs winger has racked up 10 assists and eight goals in 37 matches so far for Leeds and has become one of the first names on Daniel Farke's team sheet.

Leeds Live reported this week that a decision would not be made on whether Farke's side would make a permanent move for the Israel international until the club's promotion fate was settled. Leeds are currently top of the Championship table on goal difference above Burnley, with both sides five points clear of third-placed Sheffield United with four games of the regular season to go.

Spurs dealt with Leeds last summer in the transfer market as Archie Gray and Joe Rodon moved in different directions as well as negotiating the Solomon loan deal.

football.london understands that Solomon would certainly consider a move to Leeds if they got promoted after enjoying his time at the West Yorkshire club. However, there is also expected to be further interest in him this summer from Premier League sides as well as more from abroad which could give both Tottenham and the winger plenty to think about.

There is also the prospect of a new manager at Spurs next season with Ange Postecoglou's future the subject of plenty of speculation and any new head coach might want to look at Solomon first before deciding on the future for a player who has a contract until 2028 with the north London outfit.

Solomon said in an interview back in January with The Athletic that he is waiting to see what the future holds.

"I love it here," he said. "I love the fans. I love the club. I love the players, the manager. Especially now, I’m really enjoying it and I love living here. Of course, it’s different to London, less things to do and we have less friends here. All the Israelis, they live in London, but we found our place here.

"You can’t predict what will happen in the future, whether I come back to Tottenham, whether I go to a different team, or whether I stay here in Leeds, you can’t predict it, but, of course, for me, the door is really open."

Sinking Saints and preparing for Frankfurt - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Former Spurs midfielder Luka Modric is set to become a minority owner at Championship side Swansea City.

The 39-year-old midfielder is set to join Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Nigel Morris and Jason Cohen in the ownership group at the club.

Former owners Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan sold City to the quartet in November 2024 and Modric will now help with hierarchy's decision-making.

Modric is set to continue his playing career once again next season but is still available as a free agent at the end of the current campaign, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.

The Croatian has stated he wants to finish his professional career with Madrid but offers have naturally arrived from elsewhere.

“I never dreamed of everything that has happened to me, especially having spent so many years here," said Modric in 2024.

"Genetics comes into it, and I'm lucky in that sense, but training here with so many young lads who push you to work hard, that's what makes you better every day.

"You can never afford to relax. Training outside Valdebebas as well, I look after myself and do all I can to be at the right level at my age."

Swansea posted a turnover of £21.5m for the year ending 30 June 2024 and also reported a pre-tax loss of £15.2m in the latest financial year.

Modric joins a plethora of current football stars to own a club and play at the same time, which includes Real team-mate Kylian Mbappe.

Last year, Mbappe acquired an 80 per cent stake in Ligue 2 side SM Caen through Coalition Capital.

Fellow Frenchman N'Golo Kante purchased and became chairman of Belgian third-tier club Royal Excelsior Virton in 2023.

La Liga rules and FIFA regulations do not prohibit a player from owning a club in another league, provided the clubs that the player is affiliated with do not compete in the same competition.

Ange Postecoglou is holding his press conference after Tottenham drew 1-1 on Eintracht Frankfurt in their Europa League quarter-final first leg on Thursday.

The Europa League offers the chance for Postecoglou and his Spurs players to salvage their stuttering campaign but they came up against tricky opposition in Frankfurt, with the Bundesliga outfit having dispatched Dutch giants Ajax with little fuss to advance from the round of 16.

The German side opened the scoring after just six minutes when Hugo Ekitike struck a low shot into the bottom right corner from outside the box following a break up the pitch after James Maddison was dispossessed in the visitors' half.

Pedro Porro scored a terrific equaliser on 26 minutes. A ball from Son Heung-min over the top found Dominic Solanke's run. The striker found Maddison who jinked past his man and played the ball across the six-yard box where Porro back-flicked it through the defender's legs and into the net with his heel.

Spurs had a string of opportunities in the second half with Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur both hitting the crossbar and Son and Maddison forcing the keeper into saves before Micky van de Ven had a late bouncing header tipped over, but they could not find a second goal to take to Germany.

Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold is among those putting the questions to Postecoglou. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt in their Europa League quarter-final first leg on Thursday and here are our Spurs player ratings from the game.

Ange Postecoglou and Spurs were looking to keep their season alive with a strong performance in north London ahead of the second leg in Germany next week. The Europa League offers the hope for Postecoglou and his players to salvage their campaign, but Frankfurt dispatched Dutch giants Ajax with little fuss in the round of 16.

Postecoglou had a near full squad to choose from, with only Dejan Kulusevski, Kevin Danso and long-term absentee Radu Dragusin out. The Tottenham head coach went with Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie as full-backs with Djed Spence taking his turn on the bench. Up front, Brennan Johnson started again following his two goals against Southampton alongside Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-min.

Frankfurt opened the scoring after just six minutes as Hugo Ekitike struck an excellent low shot into the bottom right corner from outside the box following a break up the pitch after James Maddison was dispossessed in the visitors' half.

Pedro Porro scored a terrific equaliser on 26 minutes. A ball from Son Heung-min over the top found Dominic Solanke's run. The striker found Maddison who jinked past his man and played the ball across the six-yard box where Porro back-flicked it through the defender's legs and into the net with his heel.

Spurs had a string of chances in the second half with Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur both hitting the crossbar and Son and Maddison forcing the keeper into saves before Micky van de Ven had a late bouncing header tipped over.

Here are our Tottenham player ratings after the stalemate:

Guglielmo Vicario

Couldn't do much about Ekitike's clinical low finish early in the game. Didn't have much else to do. 6

Pedro Porro

Equalised with a lovely back-flick from Maddison's low cross and sent in some good corners, one of which Bentancur headed on to the crossbar. His defending and passing was a bit erratic at times but his set pieces provided plenty of quality for opportunities in the second half including chances for Bentancur and Van de Ven. 7

Cristian Romero

After some iffy early passing, the vice-captain tried to drive Spurs on with a few bursts through the midfield. That did see him caught upfield a couple of times. 7

Micky van de Ven

Made some good tackles and had a late chance tipped over the crossbar. 7

Destiny Udogie

Justified the decision to select him with a strong performance down the flank, with plenty of forward momentum and defended well on the whole. Looked to have picked up an issue though before coming off. 7

Lucas Bergvall

Kept trying to up the tempo and made an important sliding interception in his own box five minutes into the second half. Almost scored a remarkable goal when he pirouetted between two players before hitting a shot from distance that cannoned against the crossbar. Spurs' best player on the night and almost had a goal to remember, although it still fired up the hosts and the crowd for their best spell of the match. 8

Rodrigo Bentancur

Sent a header on to the top of the crossbar from a Porro corner and headed the Spaniard's free-kick across the box for Van de Ven's late chance. Mostly did well with his covering and tackling. 7

James Maddison

Lost the ball in the sixth minute to set Frankfurt away on the break to score but teed up Porro's equaliser with a dribble and dangerous low cross. Tested the keeper with a low shot in the second half. Came off with 10 minutes to go. 7

Brennan Johnson

Struggled to make an impact in the first half but got into better positions in the second period and should have done better with a pass from Spence into the box which was similar to his first goal on Sunday. 4

Dominic Solanke

Played his part in Porro's goal with his run between the lines. Another game where he had little to work with as others got the chances. 5

Son Heung-min

Found Solanke's run in the build-up to Porro's leveller. Forced Santos into a flying save with a curling effort early in the second half but this was a night when the captain didn't really hit the heights. 5

Subs

Djed Spence

Teed up Johnson for a similar chance to the one he set him up for on Sunday. 6

Pape Matar Sarr

Tried to inject some energy in the final 10 minutes. 5

Mathys Tel

Looked to get forward in his cameo from the bench. 5

Richarlison

Replaced Solanke for the final minutes. N/A

Sinking Saints and preparing for Frankfurt - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou has named the Tottenham Hotspur team that he believes can overcome Eintracht Frankfurt in their Europa League quarter-final first leg on Thursday night.

Spurs need to keep their season alive with a big performance in north London as they have spluttered in the Premier League and lie 14th in the table, despite having scored the second-highest amount of goals in the competition. The Europa League offers the final chance for Postecoglou and his players to salvage their campaign, but Frankfurt will be no pushovers, having dispatched Dutch giants Ajax with little fuss in the round of 16.

Postecoglou had a near full squad to choose from, with only Dejan Kulusevski, Kevin Danso and long-term absentee Radu Dragusin out.

The Tottenham head coach had decisions to make in various areas of the pitch, particularly in the full-back slots and he has gone for Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie with Djed Spence taking his turn on the bench. Up front, Brennan Johnson starts following his two goals against Southampton alongside Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-min.

Here's the team Postecoglou has selected for this Europa League quarter-final clash:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son. Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Spence, Davies, Gray, Sarr, Bissouma, Moore, Odobert, Richarlison, Tel.

Sinking Saints and preparing for Frankfurt - click here to listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham