Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has eased fears over Dejan Kulusevski’s fitness after the forward missed training on Monday.
The Swedish midfielder’s absence came just days before the Europa League final against Manchester United, sending panic across the white half of north London.
However, Postecoglou is optimistic that he will be fit for the showpiece in Bilbao.
Kulusevski limped off during the first half of Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, following a heavy challenge from Eagles captain Marc Guehi.
With Spurs already missing Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison through injury, the sight of their last remaining playmaker leaving the pitch early sparked concern among fans.
Despite his absence from training, Postecoglou insists the injury is not serious.
Speaking after the game and again on Monday, the Australian manager said early signs point to the issue being no more than a knock.
“He was a bit sore this morning with his knee,” Postecoglou explained (via The Standard). “It looks like a knock at this stage.
“We are going to let it settle for 24 hours and then assess it, but the initial thing is it is more of a knock than anything more significant. Fingers crossed he is OK.”
The timing couldn’t be more delicate, with Spurs set to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Friday before travelling to Bilbao for the Europa League final on May 21.
Tottenham can’t afford to lose Kulusevski to a long-term injury at this crucial stage of the season.
His creative spark has been crucial to Tottenham’s attacking play, and his absence was obvious after he went off at Selhurst Park.
With Maddison sidelined, Kulusevski will shoulder the creative burden in Bilbao.
In more good fortune for Spurs, they could also be able to call on Son Heung-min, who returned from a foot injury to play just over half an hour against Palace.
The Tottenham skipper took part in Monday’s training session and could play a larger role in the build-up to the final.