Tottenham warned Dejan Kulusevski at risk of summer exit as admirers circle
Tottenham Hotspur still see their season hanging in the balance as they remained in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The 3-2 aggregate win over AZ Alkmaar lines up a quarter-final tie with Eintracht Frankfurt, who won the competition by beating Rangers – also among this year’s last eight – in the 2022 final.
Their defeat and vitally bigger margin of victory – as well as their comeback draw with Bournemouth last Sunday (9 March) – were all managed without Dejan Kulusevski.
Kulusevski has ‘admirers’ as Tottenham warned
Kulusevski is a favourite of Ange Postecoglou’s and has been a beacon of light in a frankly terrible Tottenham season, accumulating 10 goals and 10 assists so far this season in all competitions.
The Europa League hands Spurs an integral lifeline, and Postecoglou will want his Swedish dynamo back as quickly as possible.
TV commentator Ian Darke, speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, believes Kulusevski’s age profile and performances in an often-ailing side this season have garnered him plenty of admirers.
Darke has expressed concern that Tottenham could lose some of their star players without European football next season, and it’s now the Champions League or nothing in 2025-26 by virtue of this season’s Europa League journey.
“I know he’s been out, but when they’ve rested him or he’s been injured at times this season they’ve missed him,” he said.
“He’s still young and could have a lot of admirers. Tottenham have to be so careful in the Europa League – if they don’t win it, they could lose key players.”
Spurs will deal with contracts in coming weeks
Kulusevski is under contract at Tottenham until 2028, keeping the club in a strong position even without European football in the summer.
Son Heung-min is slowly beginning to get back to his old self and performed against Alkmaar on Thursday (13 March), having been poor for Spurs for much of the campaign. His contract extension was triggered until 2026 and incited a mixed response from supporters.
| Tottenham players – contracts expiring in 2025 | Conditions |
| Mathys Tel | Loan-to-buy |
| Timo Werner | Loan-to-buy |
| Sergio Reguilon | None |
| Ben Davies | None |
| Fraser Forster | None |
| Alfie Whiteman | None |
For this summer, there are options to buy both Mathys Tel and Timo Werner. While the former may well be a Lilywhite for years to come, Werner will certainly be off back to Germany.
Sergio Reguilon, Ben Davies and Fraser Forster all see their deals expire in June as it stands, alongside reserve goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman.