Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou gives bleak outlook on Son Heung-min injury recovery as end of season approaches

Son was notably absent from Spurs’ 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany on April 17, a result that saw them progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League. His absence was keenly felt, though Tottenham managed to get over the line without their captain on the pitch.

The 32-year-old forward has now missed consecutive matches, having also sat out Tottenham’s Premier League loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers the weekend before. His continued absence has raised alarms among fans, with the season drawing to a close and vital fixtures on the horizon.

When asked about Son’s condition, Postecoglou admitted that the injury has reached a point where it has not only failed to heal, but has actually become more problematic.

"Not really sure. Like I said, it's something that he's been dealing with for a little while, and we've got to the point where it was not only not improving, it was deteriorating," he informed on a podcast. "It's one of these things, I think probably rest is going to be as important as anything else with that kind of injury. So we'll give him that time, because Sonny’s the kind of guy that always wants to train … mumbles for a second or two… We'll just have to put him on ice for the next few days and see how he responds to that."

Although the 31-year-old forward did not travel with the team to Germany for their European encounter, Son remains closely connected to the group.

"Yeah. I mean, he wasn't in contact with me, but he was with the boys, obviously, and yeah, he’s still a big part of it," Postecoglou said. "We discussed whether we should come along, but like I said, I think to give us the best chance of Sonny being available for the semis and beyond, it just made sense that we left him at home. But yeah, I'm sure he was very much part of the group.

"What do they call them, group chats, or whatever they are? They are part of some group. I'm not in any. I just saw him this morning, actually, I just caught him in the hallways as I was coming over, and he's delighted for a number of reasons, and real motivation there to get back as soon as he can."

With Spurs enduring a difficult stretch in the Premier League, currently languishing in the bottom half of the table, their European campaign has become a lifeline. As they prepare to face Norwegian side Bodo Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals on May 1, the pressure to perform has never been greater. Given the severity of the issue, it’s uncertain whether Son will be ready in time for the all-important continental tie.