TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur have the opportunity to win their first major trophy since 2008 when they take on Manchester United in Wednesday’s Europa League final.

Tottenham have had a dismal season in the Premier League, just like Manchester United have, but both sides are now on the cusp of glory as they face off in Bilbao.

Questions remain over Ange Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham, with speculation suggesting Spurs are already looking at alternative managers.

Jamie O’Hara has now shared what he thinks Tottenham should do with Postecoglou if he does put an end to Spurs’ trophy drought in the Europa League final.

Jamie O’Hara not convinced by Ange Postecoglou in Premier League

O’Hara, speaking to the Daily Mail, was asked what he thought about Postecoglou and whether he still has a future at Tottenham.

The Spurs-supporting pundit said he was initially impressed by Postecoglou’s style of play but feels he has been “found out”.

And while O’Hara feels Postecoglou has adapted in the Europa League, he reckons the mentality of losing in the Premier League “has become a problem”.

Therefore, O’Hara thinks Postecoglou should still go at the end of the season, even if they triumph in the Europa League final.

“When he came in I really liked him,” said O’Hara. “The style of football was great. I think he got found out as a manager.

“In terms of the tactics, he was very stubborn, he wasn’t willing to adapt, but in the Europa League he has adapted and played a bit more defensive football.

“I don’t necessarily think he’s the answer for Spurs, because I think the mentality of losing in the Premier League has become a problem.

“So I think after this, if we do win, he should still go.”

Tottenham vs Manchester United team news

Postecoglou is missing three of his most creative players ahead of the Europa League final against Manchester United.

Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are both nursing knee injuries, while Lucas Bergvall is out with an ankle injury.

Radu Dragusin and Dane Scarlett are also on the sidelines along with Kulusevski, Maddison and Bergvall.

However, Pape Matar Sarr is fit after being forced off in Friday’s 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa with discomfort in his back.

Meanwhile, Manchester United have been boosted by the availability of three recent absentees.

Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee all took part in Tuesday morning’s training session following their respective recent absences.

Matthijs de Ligt is one of only two Man United players to miss out on the final through injury, with long-term absentee Lisandro Martinez being the other.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have held a training session ahead of the Europa League final in Bilbao.

The two sides have had shocking seasons in the Premier League and are set to finish 16th and 17th. That is completely unacceptable for clubs of that size, but one side could still save their season.

The winner of the Europa League final will not just lift the trophy but will also qualify for the Champions League next season.

For Tottenham, this final would mean a lot more because they haven’t won a trophy in over 17 years. Ending that drought is the dream, but injuries are not helping their cause.

What Lucas Bergvall was doing during Tottenham training at Bilbao

Lucas Bergvall has been one of Tottenham’s most impressive players this season.

The Swede, still only 19, was expected to be eased into the side by Ange Postecoglou this term, but injuries to other players forced the youngster to play so much more than he should’ve.

Bergvall has featured in 45 games in all competitions for Tottenham this season, and he has produced several fantastic performances.

Unfortunately for him, he suffered an injury a few weeks ago, and the initial diagnosis was that he would miss the Europa League final.

Bergvall has travelled with the squad to Bilbao, and he was at San Mames on Tuesday as well.

However, as his teammates trained on the pitch, Bergvall sat on the sidelines in his tracksuit and watched on.

TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook shared a picture of the youngster on X.

Will Lucas Bergvall be fit enough to play for Tottenham vs Manchester United in the Europa League final?

Tottenham’s midfield has been hit with serious injuries ahead of the Europa League final.

James Maddison suffered an injury that has ruled him out for the rest of the season, and that news was followed by Dejan Kulusevski suffering a season-ending injury as well.

There was some hope that Bergvall would recover and be fit to face Manchester United, but Postecoglou ruled him out of the game in his press conference on Tuesday.

“No, Lucas isn’t available. Same as we were as of last week,” Postecoglou said, as per Football London.

It remains to be seen who will start along with Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur in the middle of the park now – Pape Matar Sarr or Wilson Odobert.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are set to go toe-to-toe with each other in what is set to be a closely-fought affair in the Europa League final.

Considering United and Spurs are languishing in 16th and 17th place respectively in the Premier League table, it is difficult to split two sides who have been equally poor throughout the season.

Regardless, Ruben Amorim pinpointed Tottenham’s intensity and their “strong intensity” as factors that could make them dangerous opponents.

Bruno Fernandes acknowledged Spurs’ threat as well and assured that United will do their due diligence in preparation for the game.

Ange Postecoglou and his staff will be doing the same and potentially with a sense of confidence, considering his Tottenham side have beaten Manchester United three times this season.

Paul Merson predicts Man United to beat Tottenham in Europa League final

In anticipation of the Europa League final, plenty of pundits have had their say on the contest, with Alan Shearer predicting Tottenham to beat Manchester United in Bilbao.

However, Rio Ferdinand could not split Manchester United and Tottenham — primarily due to his former club’s inconsistencies this season.

But Paul Merson was confident on Sky Sports that Manchester United will do a number on Tottenham, as he believes Dejan Kulusevski’s injury has ruined Spurs’ chances of a famous win: “I think Man United.”

“I think Kulusevski’s a massive miss. I think if Kulusevski’s playing, I’m probably going with Tottenham, by far their best player and I think he’ll be a big miss and I just think Man United have that little bit extra than them in my opinion but it could go any way.”

Manchester United and Tottenham’s all-time head-to-head record

History could play a huge role in the Europa League final.

For Manchester United, the fact that they have managed to win trophies despite being in a dark period since Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013 serves as a good omen.

On the other hand, Tottenham’s chance of making history would motivate them to have the game of their lives.

Overall, Manchester United and Tottenham have faced each other 199 times.

Paul Merson’s reason for backing Manchester United over Tottenham may also be that they have won 96 out of their 199 meetings.

However, Spurs have come out on top in 57 of these meetings as well, which shows that they cannot be written off.

TBR Football can exclusively confirm that Roma are readying a bid to sign a Brighton & Hove Albion player who Tottenham Hotspur have always liked.

Spurs are set for a busy summer on the transfer front as they look to strengthen their ranks in the wake of a dismal domestic campaign.

Indeed, Tottenham could potentially also be looking for a new manager, with speculation intensifying over Ange Postecoglou’s future at Spurs.

However, Spurs will need to be mindful of other clubs stealing a march on their summer targets, which seems to be the case here.

Roma are preparing a bid for Tottenham target Matt O’Riley

TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey can confirm that Italian giants AS Roma are preparing a bid to lure Brighton star and Tottenham target Matt O’Riley to Serie A.

The 24-year-old midfielder joined Brighton last summer from Scottish champions Celtic in a deal worth around £25million.

O’Riley has featured in 20 games, but interest is growing with Brighton considering sanctioning his exit and a number of clubs are keen.

Tottenham have always liked the Denmark international, as have Newcastle United.

Roma looked at him last year before he joined Brighton and now their sporting chief Florent Ghisolfi is ready to make a move.

TBR Football also understands that O’Riley is now considering whether to leave the AMEX Stadium.

O’Riley, who created Brighton’s winner against Liverpool on Monday evening, has started just 11 games this season.

O’Riley has been told by Denmark boss Brian Riemer that he needs to be playing ahead of next year’s World Cup finals.

We can confirm that there are clubs in Italy and Spain looking, while as mentioned, there is also interest in England too – should Brighton allow him to move.

Only last week O’Riley’s Brighton teammate Yankuba Minteh said his colleague has the ability to play for any club in the world, he was that skilful.

“He is a good guy, and he is skilled on the pitch. He has the talent to play for any club he wants,” Minteh told Viaplay.

Kenny Dalglish’s Matt O’Riley seal of approval

O’Riley has struggled to tie down a regular spot under Fabian Hurzeler and, with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, he’s got to think about regular football.

O’Riley was especially impressive at Celtic, registering 27 goals and 34 assists from 121 appearances.

He is a player who has really impressed Celtic legend Kenny Dalglish.

“Matt O’Riley played his part and his one-touch pass to put the Japanese striker through was as good a ball as you’ll see this season,” Dalglish told the media late last year.

“I believe he cost in the region of £1.5 million from MK Dons, which is an absolute steal.

“He has matured and his game has improved. At 22, there is still plenty more to come and he appears to be thriving under Brendan.”

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers previously described O’Riley as “phenomenal”.

O’Riley would’ve been a good shout for Tottenham, as Postecoglou knows him well from when they were both at Celtic, and he can play at No. 6, No. 8 and No. 10.

However, with Postecoglou’s future at Spurs uncertain, there’s the possibility O’Riley could find himself playing under a different manager – which would not be ideal were he to join because of Postecoglou.

Everton are interested in re-signing Richarlison from Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The Brazilian has had a very difficult time in North London since his move from Goodison Park in the summer of 2022. He has struggled to live up to his price tag.

TBR Football exclusively revealed in March that Everton would like to bring Richarlison back to the club to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin up top.

That move makes a lot of sense, but there is now some bad news for Everton fans who have been dreaming about his return.

Richarlison wants to stay at Tottenham despite Everton’s interest

Injuries have really hurt Richarlison’s career at Tottenham so far

The Brazilian has missed a total of 58 games since he joined Spurs in 2022. That is not a great record at all and explains his struggles.

Spurs can’t rely on him because of his very poor injury record, which is why Tottenham are ready to sell Richarlison this summer.

However, the player’s stance could ruin Spurs’ plans.

RTI Esporte in Brazil have claimed that Richarlison has no interest in leaving Tottenham once the summer transfer window opens.

It has been revealed that the attacker’s plan is to ‘continue at Tottenham, play well and return to the Brazilian national team’ for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It remains to be seen if Everton can convince him to change his mind in the coming months.

Tottenham will have a problem if Richarlison refuses to leave

Richarlison would be one of Tottenham’s most profitable sales if they manage to sell him this summer.

The Brazilian has struggled at Spurs, but interest in him from clubs in Saudi Arabia gives Daniel Levy the opportunity to make big money.

But, if Richarlison refuses to leave this summer, Tottenham will be at risk of letting him run his contract down to its final year.

The only way to prevent that would be to offer him an extension. That, however, wouldn’t be a wise move considering his injury troubles.

It will be interesting to see what will happen this summer, but if Richarlison gets his wish, Everton will have to look elsewhere.

Manchester United and Tottenham have both been poor this season.

The Red Devils have suffered 18 defeats this season, the most defeats they have suffered in a single Premier League season in history, as they sit 16th in the table.

On the other hand, Spurs, who have been just as poor, currently sit 17th, with 21 defeats in the league this season with Ange Postecoglou making a new Spurs record.

The Europa League final holds a huge significance for both Spurs and United. It is their final chance to salvage their season, as a win would not only win them a trophy but also guarantee a place in next season’s Champions League.

And now former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has made his prediction ahead of the final.

Rio Ferdinand gives his verdict on the Europa League final

Despite the struggles domestically, both clubs have done surprisingly well to reach the Europa League final.

Ruben Amorim remains unbeaten in the competition, winning 8 and drawing 2 while Ange Postecoglou has remained unbeaten at home in the competition.

But given their incredible inconsistency, Rio Ferdinand has found it difficult to predict which way the game will go. Speaking on Optus Sport Ferdinand said: “I have to be honest, I can’t call a Man United result — they’re so inconsistent or they have consistently been bad in the Premier League.

“But the fact they are playing against Spurs, another consistently bad team in the Premier League, but they have players who can win a match.

“It makes it such a hard game to call, I think Man United haven’t done enough this season for me to go convincingly ‘right, they will win this game’ — at any point I’ve not felt like that, other than maybe against Leicester.

“So to call this game will be difficult, I think it’s a huge opportunity for both clubs, but for Manchester United I think the manager has been very open about putting all of his eggs in one basket.”

Tottenham could be considered favourites to beat Manchester United

Ruben Amorim is convinced Spurs will not change the way they play, which he believes makes them predictable, something he sees as an advantage for Manchester United heading into the final.

However, the two sides have met thrice this season, with Tottenham getting the better of United all three times, and twice under Ruben Amorim.

Spurs secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Old Trafford early on in the season, followed by a 1-0 victory at home in February. They also eliminated United from the League Cup in a dramatic 4-3 thriller.

Tottenham can also draw confidence from a season that has seen surprise winners lift silverware.

Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City to claim the FA Cup, the first major trophy in their history, while Newcastle edged out Liverpool in the League Cup final, securing their first major honour in 70 years.

With Tottenham currently on a trophy drought themselves, having not won a major trophy since 2008, perhaps this could finally be the season they end their wait.

Tottenham are active in the transfer market despite plenty of uncertainty in N17.

Spurs still have no idea whether they will be playing UEFA Champions League football next season or no European football at all, with the UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao against Manchester United taking place on Wednesday.

Ange Postecoglou could also be sacked regardless of the result, making it quite hard for Tottenham to offer any guarantees to potential signings.

However, one target in Rayan Cherki has now posted an interesting message after Tottenham made an approach to sign him.

Rayan Cherki bids farewell to Lyon

A story from Le Parisien recently claimed that Tottenham have opened talks to sign Cherki from Lyon as the Frenchman approaches the final 12 months of his contract.

The Lyon No.18 is available for a sum of €22.5m (£19m) due to his contract situation, and the fact the Ligue 1 side need to improve their finances, with Liverpool also enquiring.

Now, Cherki has posted “merci (thank you)” on X (previously known as Twitter) as the attacking midfielder seemingly bids farewell to Lyon, where he has played since 2010.

The 21-year-old would be some capture for Tottenham, having scored 12 goals while impressively providing 20 assists in 44 appearances this season.

Tottenham in pole position

Given the aforementioned circumstances at Tottenham right now, some fans may doubt whether a move for the France U21 international is actually possible, given the fact Liverpool – the Premier League champions – are keen.

TBR Football understand Arsenal have also been scouting Cherki this season.

Tottenham Hotspur have already beaten Manchester United three times this season ahead of their Europa League final this week.

One of Tottenham’s wins came whilst Erik ten Hag was still in charge, a 3-0 win for Spurs at Old Trafford.

And since that win last September, Tottenham have also beaten Man United twice whilst Ruben Amorim has been in charge.

Ange Postecoglou has a torrid record at Spurs domestically this season, but he has still been able to get the better of United, regardless of who’s been in charge.

Although, Wednesday evening’s game in Bilbao promises to be a truly unique occasion — a match that will reward Champions League football to one of the Premier League’s struggling sides.

Ruben Amorim shares his honest Tottenham verdict

That being said Amorim has now shared his honest thoughts on Tottenham ahead of Wednesday’s final when speaking in an in-house interview at Old Trafford.

Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker have predicted the Europa League winner recently, a match that really could go either way.

Both managers will be calling on their squads to deliver a 90 minute performance which could decide the direction of their respective clubs over the next two or three years.

And whilst neither Amorim or Postecoglou will want to put too much pressure on their players, they will be aware of the huge consequences attached to Bilbao’s final.

That being said, Amorim is expecting to face an intense Spurs side, even if they do often ship a lot of goals.

Asked about Spurs, Amorim replied: “I think they are a team that have a lot of intensity, they have a really strong identity, they will play in the same way and you can see it.

“They score a lot of goals, they suffer also because they want to score every time. We know Spurs, they know our team, we also have a strong identity so it’s going to be a good game.”

Ange Postecoglou’s future is in the balance

Whilst both Amorim and Postecoglou are under pressure, it’s only thought that the latter’s job could be at risk upon defeat in Spain.

Daniel Levy is considering Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham and defeat on Wednesday seems likely to lead to change.

Fabio Paratici will return to Tottenham this summer and the club are already thought to be looking at several candidates to replace Postecoglou.

Of course, should Spurs lift the Europa League trophy on Wednesday then sacking Postecoglou might appear slightly absurd.

Tottenham have been desperate to win a trophy for so many years now and it would be a bold move for Levy to sack a manager who had just done exactly that.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking for Ange Postecoglou replacements and one of their top targets has just shockingly left his club.

Ange Postecoglou is set to leave Tottenham regardless of what happens in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

The North London club are currently 17th in the Premier League and suffered a record number of defeats in a single league campaign.

Fabio Paratici has drawn up a shortlist of targets and one of the reported names on that list has just left his position as head coach at one of Europe’s most prestigious clubs.

Ajax announce the shock departure of Francesco Farioli

Ajax have just announced the shock departure of Francesco Farioli as head coach of the football club following their dramatic end to the season.

The Italian manager enjoyed a successful first season in the Dutch capital, however, it ended in disappointment as they lost out on the Eredivisie title in the penultimate game of the campaign.

Farioli has been linked with Tottenham with Paratici recommending him to the North London club as a contender to replace Postecoglou.

Now, the Lilywhites face a clear pathway to land the head coach as he is a free agent, whereas at Ajax, he had a £4.2 million release clause.

The ‘excellent’ 36-year-old spent one season at Nice, guiding them to a fifth-place finish in Ligue 1, before taking the job at Ajax, where he came within a whisker of winning the Dutch title.

Ajax’s spectacular Eredivisie title collapse

Ajax managed to spectacularly miss out on winning the Eredivisie title as they allowed a 9-point lead with just 6 games to go to slip on the penultimate matchday of the season.

PSV Eindhoven were there to take full advantage of Ajax conceding two stoppage-time goals against Groningen to drop into second place.

Fabio Paratici is close to returning to Tottenham Hotspur and has already started looking at Ange Postecoglou replacements.

Daniel Levy has been keen to get Paratici back and the Spurs chairman looks set to be granted his wish with the Italian director’s return now reportedly imminent.

FIFA banned Paratici for 30 months, but as of July, the former Juventus managing director can return to working in football in an official capacity.

AC Milan attempted to appoint Paratici, however, their deal for the Italian fell through and now the North London club are close to bringing him back.

The 52-year-old’s first task back at Tottenham is set to be replacing Ange Postecoglou, whose future is in doubt given Spurs’ poor Premier League form.

Fabio Paratici draws up four-man shortlist for Tottenham

Fabio Paratici has drawn up a four-man shortlist of replacements for Ange Postecoglou, who is expected to leave after the Europa League final, according to The Sun.

Paratici’s return to Tottenham is set to be confirmed imminently, but the Italian has already identified four candidates to replace the Australian.

Francesco Farioli, Marco Silva, Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner are on his list of contenders to take the job in North London.

But much is resting on the Europa League final, with either Champions League football or no European football at all on the line.

Farioli is an exciting young coach, although his Ajax team managed to lose the Eredivisie title in the closing stages of their final match of the season.

Silva and Iraola have both impressed with their clubs in the Premier League this season, meanwhile, Glasner has just won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace.

Other contenders to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham

Currently, former FC Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez remains out of work and the Spaniard could become a contender for the job.

Spurs would likely need to have Champions League football on offer to attract such a manager, but the La Liga title-winning coach could be a contender.

Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi is another potential candidate, however, the Italian is expected to remain at the San Siro, where he is enjoying much success.