Football London

It is UEFA Europa League final week. Tottenham Hotspur face Manchester United at San Mames in Bilbao with the first European trophy of the season up for grabs.

Manchester United go into the clash having not lost a game in the Europa League this season and are slight favourites to lift the trophy on Wednesday night.

Both teams have had horrific domestic campaigns. With one Premier League game to go, Spurs are 17th, with United just one point and one place above them.

The success of the season really does come down to this one match.

Tottenham are flying out to Bilbao on Monday afternoon, following a light training session at Hotspur Way on Monday morning. Media duties will follow on Tuesday, as well as another training session on the pitch at San Mames to familiarise themselves with the surface and the stadium.

Manchester United will also be fulfilling media duties, but are doing things slightly differently to Spurs.

Ruben Amorim's team have recently played at the stadium in Bilbao, having dispatched with Athletic Club 7-1 on aggregate in the semi-final. And there is something different about their build-up that may well frustrate Spurs.

While Tottenham will be holding an open training session on the San Mames pitch on Tuesday afternoon, following their press conference for the final, United have opted not to do so.

UEFA Article 78.01 states: "Both clubs must make their training session on the day before the match open to the media for at least 15 minutes in accordance with the schedule agreed in advance with UEFA. The two training sessions must be arranged by the two clubs and UEFA together, so that the media can attend both."

United's training session will be open to the media, but it will be back home at their Carrington training base on Tuesday, before they travel out to Bilbao that afternoon.

We are now only two days away from Ange Postecoglou and his Tottenham team walking out at San Mames Stadium for the Europa League final. In a season which has been so frustrating and disappointing in the Premier League, Spurs have the opportunity to finish the campaign on a high by putting an end to their trophy drought for good.

Manchester United are also in the same boat as the Lilywhites, with the sides currently languishing 16th and 17th in the Premier League table respectively with one game to go. Both go into the final on the back of defeats but their domestic form has been in complete contrast to their performances and results in Europe.

Amid plenty of question marks over Postecoglou's Tottenham team selection at Aston Villa on Friday night, the Australian opted to switch things up and leave some of his key players on the substitutes' bench. Others, such as Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie, were kept on ice and missed out on the 20-man matchday party completely.

Postecoglou's decision regarding his team dropped a huge hint over his selection for the final and all will become clear on Wednesday evening. In regards to those who started on the bench, Guglielmo Vicario will take his place in goal, Pedro Porro will operate at right-back, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma start in midfield and then Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke and Richarlison look set to take their place in attack.

A place for Richarlison in the Tottenham XI for the final may be a talking point for some Tottenham fans but Postecoglou's decisions over the past two games point to the Brazilian getting the nod. After all, he was an unused substitute against Crystal Palace and then he was introduced for the final three minutes plus stoppage time at Villa Park on Friday.

The fact he wasn't brought on before Solanke, who replaced Son Heung-min on 74 minutes, does appear to indicate that he will have a huge role to play in the final from the off. Add Romero, Van de Ven and Udogie to the mix and that leaves one spot remaining in the starting XI.

The final place may all depend on Postecoglou's thinking when it comes to his formation. If it is to be a 4-3-3 setup, one of Pape Matar Sarr or Wilson Odobert could start, meaning club captain Son begins the game on the bench.

A 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 formation, however, and that would play into the South Korean's hands after returning to the pitch in the past two games. Son played the vast majority of the match at Villa Park on Friday and that will have done him the world of good heading into the final after some lively moments against Aston Villa.

Postecoglou and his coaching staff now have limited time remaining to decide on their team to take on Manchester United, with perhaps only one position in the team there for the taking. Speaking ahead of the Aston Villa fixture, the former Celtic boss outlined what the next couple of days will look like for the team before the Europa League final comes around.

"We’ve kind of mapped it out. It’s a day-to-day proposition and a lot will depend on who plays and what I decide about tomorrow night and who plays and who doesn’t, then making sure the guys who don’t and will potentially be involved on Wednesday we get some good training into them because I think that’s important," he said.

"Our programme at the moment, all things being equal, we do the Villa game, won’t get back until late, Saturday will be a sort of rest day for the players, we'll train Sunday, a good session for us and then train here Monday morning and fly to Bilbao on Monday afternoon. Have a run on the pitch the night before and game Wednesday."

Set to fly out to Bilbao later today, hopefully the Europa League trophy will be on the return journey with them come the end of the week.

Manor Solomon's agent has confirmed the winger wants to compete in the Premier League next season.

The Israeli international has returned to Tottenham Hotspur following a pivotal role in Leeds United's title-winning season. During his loan spell at Elland Road, Solomon quickly won over the fans with his dazzling performances on the left wing.

The 25-year-old ended the campaign with 22 goal contributions from 39 Championship outings and secured his place in Leeds' history by netting an exceptional solo goal on the final day of the season against Plymouth Argyle, ensuring Leeds edged out Burnley for the title based on goal difference.

However, it's unclear where Solomon will be playing his football next season. Leeds Live report that Leeds are keen to bring him back, while French heavyweights Marseille have also shown interest in securing Solomon's services.

football.london previously reported that it was understood 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.

Shlomi Ben Ezra, Solomon's agent, has dismissed the idea of the winger moving to France and insists he wants to remain in England. “[Roberto] De Zerbi sent a message to Manor, but he told him that he could not play for Marseille for political reasons," Ben Ezra was quoted as saying by French magazine Le 10 Sport.

“It’s difficult to play in another league when you’ve had a taste of the Premier League. Manor is having a great time at Leeds, but he’s under contract with Spurs.

“He likes the Premier League, but in football, you never know… It all depends on what Daniel Levy wants to do. Manor likes English football and he’ll prefer the Premier League… But in football, you never know what might happen.”

Tottenham are set to face Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday evening, before concluding their disappointing Premier League season with a home match against Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend.

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."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hailed his players' ability to avoid slipping down the Premier League table like Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United after suffering injuries this season.

All three teams have struggled with their own injury crises throughout the season but while Arsenal have managed to stick around the top five and challenged Liverpool for the Premier League title, Spurs and United have struggled. The Gunners' historic rivals have been left floundering in the bottom half of the table this season.

While never in danger, both clubs sit just outside the relegation places but one shall qualify for next season's Champions League as they face off in Bilbao on Wednesday night in the Europa League final. The winner of that tie will be in the league phase of the Champions League next season.

Reflecting on the Gunners' season, Arteta took a slight dig at Tottenham and United. "Well we are clearly very disappointed because we wanted to be here with the Premier League or the Champions League and it is not the case," he told Sky Sports.

"But chasing a dream has its ups and downs but make sure that it doesn’t get blurry and it does get recognised what we have done because any other team, and I have seen it with one injury, [you can end up] finishing eighth, 16th or 17th. So this team to go through the season and sustain this level is incredible.

"We don’t want anyone to value it but me, as a manager, has to value what this team has done." Due to their goal difference, Arsenal look set to finish second in the Premier League this season with a win expected at bottom club Southampton on the final day.

As for Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou's sides, they can only finish as high as 14th this season but that could slip away from them if Wolverhampton Wanderers beat FA Cup winners Crystal Palace in midweek.

Tottenham striker Richarlison has opened up on what has been a frustrating season personally ahead of the Europa League final against Manchester United.

The 28-year-old has missed a number of games this season due to injury, with the Brazilian making just 22 appearances in all competitions. Now back to full fitness, the former Everton man will be hoping to make an impact in Bilbao when Ange Postecoglou's side face off against Man Utd on Wednesday, May 21.

After starting Friday night's 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on the bench, Richarlison could be handed a start against United and he will be hoping to add to his five goals and two assists this campaign. Speaking to the official Tottenham website, Richarlison said: "I'm delighted to be competing in my first final in European football. We're dreaming of winning the title and I think fans are really looking forward to this moment as well.

"It's been a long time since the club won a trophy, so excitement is at its maximum. We know we need to be focused and work hard during the week as it's going to be a great game."

Richarlison played on the left against Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals, although he could also play just behind Dominic Solanke given Spurs will be without Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall. Asked if he has thought about scoring in the final, the forward said: "I think it's a dream just to be playing in the final. I hope to be able to score in the final as well, I have objectives to meet.

"Of course, this season hasn't been what I expected due to some injuries that have held me back a bit. I've experienced great moments in my career. I've won trophies with thee Brazilian national team.

"I've been decisive in many games. I think it will be a great game. I hope to go into it focused so that if the opportunity comes I'm in the right place to bring joy to all of us."

Manchester United have confirmed the kit they will be wearing for the Europa League final against Tottenham in Bilbao next Wednesday.

In just over 72 hours, the two Premier League sides will compete for a European trophy and a spot in next season's Champions League. Given their disastrous domestic seasons, there is no outright favourite but United's illustrious history in comparison to Spurs could give them the advantage.

However, the Lilywhites have beaten United on three separate occasions this season and have scored 8 goals in those fixtures. Ahead of the showpiece clash, both Tottenham and Ruben Amorim's side were beaten away from home on Friday night by a team chasing a top-five finish.

A heavily-rotated Spurs lost 2-0 to Aston Villa while a very strong United starting XI were undone at Chelsea courtesy of a Marc Cucurella header.

Their European form and performances have been much better however, with United and Spurs winning both at home and away in their semi-final. Before and during Tottenham's first leg triumph over Bodo/Glimt, two injury blows emerged and another two have since followed.

Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have been ruled out of the final while there are now doubts surrounding Pape Matar Sarr after he hobbled off at Villa.

As for United, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt are big doubts with Joshua Zirkzee ruled out. The return of Amad has been welcome and Ayden Heaven was able to bolster Amorim's defensive ranks by featuring for the first time in two months off the bench at Stamford Bridge.

With both managers likely to give fresh updates as the clash gets closer, some other big decisions are starting to be confirmed. One of those has been revealed this weekend with United making an announcement confirming their kit colours for the final.

"We can reveal Ruben Amorim’s side are due to wear our red shirts, with black shorts and black socks," a club statement read.

"The last time we turned out in this combination was in the away tie at Real Sociedad in the same competition, when Joshua Zirkzee’s goal earned a 1-1 draw on the road.

"Our starting goalkeeper is set to wear all green."

As Tottenham will be swapping out blue shorts to wear all white, United will be donning black shorts to avoid a kit clash with that not done too often this season. Prior to the 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad, United have worn only a home shirt with black shorts just four other times.

Away to Everton, Manchester City, Ipswich Town and Fenerbahce, United lined up in a red and black strip. Four of those matches ended level with the other being a historic 2-1 win at Etihad Stadium which could be seen as a good omen.

United have lost three times to Spurs in the last eight months when wearing white shorts so rocking up to the Basque country in an unbeaten kit could be a sign of things to come, but Spurs will be hoping that is not the case.

Tottenham are one game away from perhaps their best and worst season in decades.

It's a strange contradiction, with the chance to win European silverware contrasting sharply with their horrendous form in the Premier League. Fortunately for Spurs, they will be facing a side on Wednesday evening with almost as bad domestic form in Manchester United.

Both teams had a far-from-ideal final preparation for the trip to Bilbao, with Spurs defeated by Aston Villa while Ruben Amorim's side fell to defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

It is the continuation of a trend in the Premier League for both sides, who are both set for their worst domestic season in a considerable amount of time. Ultimately, both managers could be in danger even if they lift the trophy at San Mames.

Ange Postecoglou, in particular, is in a precarious position. It has been thought for some time that the Europa League campaign is perhaps the only thing currently saving his job following an underwhelming season in which his squad has been stretched to its limits.

With so many injuries throughout the team, a number of players have been elevated beyond what their roles were initially planned to be this season. The likes of Archie Gray have played far more minutes than expected, most of which have come as a centre-back - a position he can play, though it is not his favoured one.

Then, there is Lucas Bergvall. The midfielder has entrenched himself in the first team this year following his arrival from Sweden last summer, in his first season at the highest of levels in Europe.

Bergvall picked up an ankle injury in training at the start of the month which looks to have ended his season prematurely. While Postecoglou has poured a dampener on any suggestion that the Swedish star could return to action for the clash against Manchester United, he did state that his player is doing everything he can to try and get back.

Having only turned 19 in February, one might have expected the young midfielder to have played a smaller part off the pitch. But that's not the case, according to the manager.

Following the defeat against Aston Villa, Postecoglou was asked about the return to action of Son Heung-min, and how important it was to have the club captain back. His answer, which included a mention of Bergvall, was telling.

"It's important," Postecoglou told reporters. "Especially when we've lost some key players in recent times. Madders is also one of the leaders, and Deki, and Lucas in the last three weeks.

"Now getting Sonny back at least gives us another experienced player. I think the last two or three fixtures our average age has been three or four years younger than the opposition. You can see that at times so just having another experienced player available is great for the team."

Bergvall being seen as one of the key players for Spurs speaks volumes, not just of how well the youngster has done this season but of how much he may be missed if he can't return in time for the clash at San Mames.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a season in which injuries have rarely been far from their door and that is no different with the Europa League final on the horizon.

Ange Postecoglou and his players have faced the toughest of campaigns with most of the Tottenham squad lost to longer term injuries at points during much of the season, meaning a stretched squad of only 12 or 13 players for three months during the winter. Now they have suffered another flurry of injuries just as a date with Manchester United in Bilbao lies ahead on Wednesday night.

The Spurs boss is going to have to get creative with his team selection for the big game in Spain against a United team that has struggled in the Premier League as well but is not struggling with the same availability issues.

Here is the latest news on all of Tottenham's injured players and when they could potentially return to action.

Dejan Kulusevski

The Swede underwent surgery this week on the patella in his right knee and will be out for some time as he recovers and rehabilitates after the injury suffered against Crystal Palace.

"Disappointing news," said Postecoglou. "Initially we thought it wasn’t too serious. The medical team were worried structurally about how the knee was but it blew up the day after and we knew there was an issue there. He has had surgery and it will put him out for at least a few months."

When asked if Kulusevski will be fit for the start of next season, he said: "We will see. To be honest, I have only got basic information at the moment in terms of recovery but it will certainly put him out for a while."

Potential return date: Early next season.

James Maddison

Another knee injury but Maddison did not require surgery after he suffered the problem in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt.

"Unfortunately, Madders last week hurt his knee, and it looks like he's got an issue there. That'll keep him out for the rest of the season, which is disappointing," said Postecoglou.

Initial estimates for the recovery period were believed to be around 12 weeks from when it happened, which would have Maddison returning just in time for the new season.

Potential return date: Late in pre-season.

Lucas Bergvall

All eyes are on Lucas Bergvall even though Postecoglou has ruled him out twice, the second time as recently as Thursday, and says he won't be available for the final on Wednesday night. He told football.london that the teenager would have maybe had a chance if the match was two weeks later.

The Swede turned his ankle in training the day before the semi-final first leg and only got out of his protective boot earlier this week. It's going to be a day by day affair with Bergvall as Spurs monitor his progress in the nine days between getting out of the boot and the final in Bilbao.

Bergvall will be desperate to play on the big stage, but it's all about whether his ankle is stable and also whether there's any risk of further damage.

Potential return date: Fingers (or ankles) crossed for the final despite Postecoglou's insistence otherwise.

Pape Matar Sarr

The Senegal international felt some discomfort in his back during the defeat at Aston Villa and was taken off and replaced by Yves Bissouma.

"Pape felt something in his back so we took him off as a bit of a precaution," Postecoglou told football.london. "I don’t think it’s anything too significant speaking to him afterwards but he just felt something in his back."

Potential return date: Hopefully the 22-year-old is fine for the final.

Radu Dragusin

The Romanian has been out since the Europa League match against Elfsborg when he damaged his cruciate ligaments. The recovery period is going to be a long time but Dragusin has been stepping up his recovery with plenty of footage of his work on the grass as he returns to running.

Potential return date: During next season and Tottenham will be cautious with the centre-back.

Timo Werner

Postecoglou revealed to football.london on Thursday that Werner is currently out with a hamstring injury. The German has not been spotted for a while and the Australian provided the reason and it's likely we've seen the last of the former Chelsea man in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt.

Potential return date: Likely never for Spurs.

Dane Scarlett

Another player who has been absent recently and we had to wait for Postecoglou to tell us why the young striker had disappeared from matchday squads.

It turns out that Scarlett has been carrying a groin injury all season and he had surgery to fix that. He and Bergvall both took part in the UEFA media day on Tuesday with either means both are close enough to a potential return or they simply wanted to take part in it all.

Potential return date: Unknown

Yves Bissouma has opened up on his relationship with Ange Postecoglou after a season that has brought its fair share of difficulties for the Tottenham midfielder but could yet end with glory.

The 28-year-old began the campaign with a one-game club suspension after filming himself using nitrous oxide with that footage appearing on social media. Bissouma then struggled to impose himself with a regular starting spot this season, losing his place to teenager Lucas Bergvall and has only started 16 Premier League matches for Spurs this campaign.

However, Bergvall's ankle injury this month opened the door for the Mali international to return to the side and the midfielder impressed in both semi-final legs against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League and will now likely start in Bilbao on Wednesday night in the final against Manchester United.

"It’s always a pleasure to be back and playing. Football is everything for me. To be playing is something special for me. I have to take every opportunity like I did in the last European game, so I’m happy," Bissouma told football.london.

The midfielder was speaking at Hotspur Way after a recovery session, wearing Crocs that bore the letters "YB8" on the right foot and "SOG" on the other.

"Son of God," he explained before adding: "I am a very religious person. I learned from my family."

Bissouma has previously referred to Postecoglou as feeling like family and he laughed when we asked him about his manager's claim that the two men had spoken last month and he'd told the midfielder of his strong feeling that he would end up having a crucial part to play in the season's final weeks - something that has come to pass.

"Yes, of course [I can remember it]. He said everything already, but yes as a player, it’s really important to stay involved with the team because you don’t know when the team will need you, so you have to work hard to be ready. That’s why we are here as professionals," he said.

Bissouma was only too happy to speak about his relationship with the Australian after a season in which it could easily have been strained by the lack of football and that pre-season spot of bother.

"It’s never changed. Never changed. We have a good relationship. Like I said, he’s like a dad or uncle for us. He’s always trying to make us understand what he really wants," he said. "For us, he’s Ange, he’s him. He’s got his idea. He’s trying to help us every time. It’s not easy (the style of play), especially at the start. We have to stick together like what we're doing and that’s what we’re doing."

He added: "He’s always protecting us. Every game, when we lose or win. Like I said, he’s got a top mentality. He understands football. He knows it’s up and down. He never blames players. To have a coach like him is something. At the same time, with him, we are working hard. We want to improve every game and every training session because it’s really important for us and the club. We’re all here for the club, for the same reason. It’s necessary to be together."

While Bissouma did not want to go into the details of that early suspension this season, he opened up on those who have helped him get through such tough moments this season.

"Everyone, and yourself as well, as a professional. You have to understand that football is up and down. In the hard moments, you have to be strong," he said. "You have to stay strong because it’s not easy. The most important thing for us is we're here to learn. That's why we train every day to be ready for the game."

So have the Tottenham fans seen the best of Bissouma yet since his arrival from Brighton in the summer of 2022?

"Of course there’s more to come. We are always here for learning, I’m still learning. This season has been hard for me because I didn’t play much," he said. "The most important thing is if the team does good. I’m here to work and when my time comes, I play. As a professional, you have to be ready.

"You have to understand it’s not just yourself – you are part of a group. You can’t control things sometimes. The only thing I know is, you have to work hard and never give up and be ready when your team needs you. That’s what I’m always trying to do."

All eyes are now on Wednesday night's final in Bilbao for Bissouma and the Tottenham players.

"We know what we have to do. We have to win this cup because for us, it’s really important. It’s an important game for us. As a player, it’s not coming every season," said the midfielder. "For the club, for the fans, it’s something special."

New Tottenham Hotspur chief executive officer Vinai Venkatesham is looking for a new staff member to work with him when he joins the north London club this summer.

It was announced last month that the former Arsenal CEO would be make the journey to N17 in order to take on a similar role this summer with chairman Daniel Levy finally getting his man after knowing Venkatesham for years as they worked together in the Premier League and European Club Association.

While he is yet to officially join the club, Venkatesham is already looking to the summer and on Friday promoted a new role working alongside him at Tottenham on LinkedIn, saying: "Looking for an exceptional individual to fill an exciting role. This person will work closely with me and other colleagues to help deliver the club's key priorities. The role is ideally suited to a high performing strategy consultant (or similar) with three to four years experience and excellent interpersonal skills."

The job itself for a business operations lead to the CEO is set with a long description of all the qualities required and what the role will entail as the successful candidate works closely with both Venkatesham and his personal assistant at Spurs.

"This individual will support the delivery of the key priorities of the CEO, across both football and business operations with a focus on the latter," read the job advert, which closes on May 29. "They will support the CEO in various ways across those priorities including analysis, project management, strategic direction and by being a trusted, independent sounding board in his decision making.

"This role will suit an individual who thrives in fast-paced environments, loves orchestrating organisational excellence and has exceptional emotional intelligence as well as relationship building skills."

Among the many requirements of the role are to "undertake research, analysis, project management and related activities to support decision making around, and delivery of, strategic priorities of the CEO". The candidate will also be required to "step in and represent the CEO in meetings as required, being a positive representative of the CEO at all times".

The job is for someone of graduate level, with approximately three to four years of experience in strategy consulting or similar strategic and analytical roles, ideally with exposure to C-level stakeholders.

Venkatesham's arrival is expected to herald another big summer of change at Tottenham.