Postecoglou confirmed that Dejan Kulusevski will be sidelined for at least several months due to a knee injury sustained in last week’s match against Crystal Palace. Tottenham received devastating news just a week before the Europa League final: The Swedish midfielder underwent surgery on Wednesday.

A statement on the club’s official website said: “We can confirm that Dejan Kulusevski suffered an injury to his right patella during last weekend’s Premier League match against Crystal Palace. After further consultation with specialists, the midfielder underwent surgery today (Wednesday) and will immediately begin rehabilitation with our medical team.”

Postecoglou spoke about Kulusevski’s injury ahead of Friday’s Premier League match against Aston Villa. He had previously stated that they initially believed the injury was not serious.

Postecoglou explained: “It’s disappointing news. At first, we didn’t think it was too serious, but the severity became clear the next day. He has undergone surgery and will be out for at least a few months.”

When asked if Kulusevski would be ready for the start of next season, he said: “We’ll have to wait and see. Right now, we only have preliminary information.”

Kulusevski has joined his compatriot Lucas Bergvall in Tottenham’s medical facility. The young player recently suffered an ankle injury in training. Despite hopes among Tottenham fans for Bergvall’s return ahead of next Wednesday’s final, Postecoglou stated that the player will likely take some time to recover, though he has already taken his first steps back on the grass.

The Tottenham manager said: “The timeline remains the same. His injury is not long-term, but he’s just taking his first steps back on the grass. It will likely take some time before he returns, and he’s not available right now.”

Will Son play tomorrow? “He will definitely play tomorrow. Whether he starts or not, we’ll see. He reacted well to Sunday’s game, and it’s logical for him to get more minutes, whether as a starter or coming on during the match.”