Son gives Tottenham boost ahead of Europa League final

Son Heung-min is on course to be fit for Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League final against Manchester United next week as the South Korean aims to emulate his former strike partner Harry Kane and win his first career silverware.

Kane left Tottenham in 2023 as the club's record goalscorer but without any tangible reward and he finally broke his duck this season as Bayern Munich were crowned Bundesliga champions.

The 32-year-old Son, who formed a lethal partnership with Kane for the best part of a decade at Tottenham, has been struggling with a foot injury but trained on Monday having also managed time off the bench against Crystal Palace the day before.

"It comes down to getting him ready to play and then making a decision," Postecoglou told reporters at the club's training ground on Monday. "It's nothing more than that.

"One thing I do know about finals is there are always moments and players who can change it, but it's going to take a collective effort. It's what we do as a team that will be much more important than individuals on the day."

There are similarities with Kane in that the England striker was rushed back for Tottenham's Champions League final in 2019 after an ankle injury but looked rusty and made little impact.

Only Son and Ben Davies remain from that squad and if Son is firing on all cylinders, it would be a massive boost as Tottenham try to end a 17-year trophy drought.

He is fifth on the club's all-time scoring list with 173 goals and is a catalyst for the team, Postecoglou said.

"We've still got sort of eight or nine days to go and a game on Friday where we can build him up," Postecoglou said.

"He's been a big catalyst this year and understands probably better than most what a trophy would mean for this football club and for him personally because he's had an unbelievable career here in which he's done just about everything apart from the key bit, that silverware that every player craves."