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Spurs saw off their Eredivisie counterparts 1-0 earlier this season, thanks to a Richarlison penalty during a league-phase clash in north London, and have been drawn against them once more in a two-legged last-16 tie.

Exits from both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup mean Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has only success in Europe left to maintain his record of “always” winning silverware in his second season at a club. Tottenham remain favourites to do so, but know their Dutch opponents will prove no pushovers.

AZ have lost just once at home across all competitions so far this season and thumped Galatasaray in the knockout play-off round, a team Spurs lost to during the league phase.

Postecoglou opted to leave captain Heung-min Son, impressive full-back Djed Spence and influential midfielder Dejan Kulusevski out of the starting lineup for the recent home defeat by Manchester City in the Premier League, with this game in mind, and has now lost the latter to injury. It remains to be seen how serious Kulusevski’s foot injury is, but he will not be back before the international break.

Spurs will finally have centre-back pair Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero available tonight, the latter could start but Postecoglou will likely take a cautious approach with the former. Dominic Solanke is also back in another huge boost, but Richarlison and Ben Davies remain out along with long-term absentee Radu Dragusin.

Jordy Clasie and Peer Koopmeiners will have a battle on their hands in midfield, especially against a Spurs side who were afforded the weekend off with the Premier League schedule on pause for the FA Cup.

Spurs will be the fresher of the two teams but face an AZ side who boast a formidable home record. Postecoglou should be telling his team to keep it tight at the back, but that is no guarantee with the Australian in charge, so goals could well be in plentiful supply.

I expect both teams to come out of the traps quickly, and AZ will look to their 4-1 win at home over Galatasaray as proof that they can blow teams away in front of their own fans. Spurs will likely be happy with a draw ahead of hosting the second leg at home next week. It could be a bit of a nervy affair.

Spurs have little else left to play for this season, with European glory the only thing that could still salvage their disappointing campaign.

Ange Postecoglou’s side should be considered one of the favourites for the competition, particularly given that more key players are now expected to return from injury.

Still, supporters are unlikely to get too excited just yet, with the team on a famously long trophy drought. If they can reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League, however, then momentum could really start to grow.

It’s likely to be a hostile environment for Spurs in the Netherlands. AZ smashed Galatasaray last time out in order to reach this stage, so are certainly not to be overlooked.

Troy Parrott, of course, is a former Spurs player and would no doubt love to prove a few people wrong by making an impact against the Premier League giants.

Postecoglou believes his side sense an opportunity to win something. Now, they have to go out and prove it.

TV channel: In the UK, tonight’s game will be televised live on TNT Sports 3. Coverage starts at 5pm GMT ahead of a 5.45pm kick-off.

Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

Ange Postecoglou will be without Dejan Kulusevski for the Europa League last-16 first leg against AZ Alkmaar but Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke are all set to return to the squad.

Romero has not played since early December but has been back in full training for over a week, and could come into the side at centre-half, alongside Kevin Danso.

Van de Ven is also fit again after a lengthy hamstring injury but Postecoglou could take a more cautious approach with the Dutchman, who made fleeting comebacks against Chelsea in December and Elfsborg in January, only to immediately return to the sidelines.

Solanke's return up-front after seven weeks out with a knee injury would be a major boost but he could be saved for Sunday's visit of his former club Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Postecoglou must pick two of Pedro Porro, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie at full-back, while Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma are competing for two spots in midfield.

Bentancur and Bergvall have started the last four games and may keep their places on Thursday night.

Mathys Tel is potentially due a rest after a series of unconvincing displays at centre-forward, so if Solanke does not start then Heung-min Son may have to deputise up front.

Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson are pushing for further starts after being named in the XI against Manchester City last time out.

Tottenham centre-half Kevin Danso says he is relishing the challenge of competing with fit-again teammates Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, and says playing alongside "great players" is part of the reason he wanted to join the club.

But van de Ven and Romero are both back in the squad for the Europa League last-16 first leg against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

"I've always had to compete in my life, and I thrive off that challenge, playing alongside great players, competing for places with great players, and just being at an amazing club whose ambition is to win things and just to be part of the history of a club like Tottenham," Danso said.

"We all know what they [van de Ven and Romero] have achieved at Tottenham so far and how good they are. I am looking forward to that challenge.

"I'm going to push them, they're going to push me, and I think a season is very long: there's many competitions, there's a lot of games, so it's about keeping each other on the highest level possible to compete in every competition we're in, and just try to win every game and make sure that we're always on form."

With Davies still working his way back to fitness and head coach Ange Postecoglou saying he had not decided if van de Ven and Romero were ready to start against Alkmaar, Danso be partnered by Gray, 18, again in the Netherlands.

"He's unbelievable, the fact that he's 18, the maturity he plays with, the maturity with which he carries himself in the dressing room, it's amazing, he's a great lad and his quality has been on show for many weeks now," Danso said of Gray.

"I think he's just going to keep improving, because he's only 18 and to already have that maturity in the way he plays football, and off the pitch, it's something that's going to take him a long way."

"When a club like Spurs comes knocking, it’s something that I don’t think a lot of people would turn down," he said. "Certainly not me. That’s why I am here today.

"It didn’t take much for me to be honest. But [my conversation with Postecoglou] was really short and sweet - he just quickly gave me an insight about the idea of how he wants to play. It was very brief and he just told me the idea of what his team stands for. After that I was 100 per cent sure."

Danso added: "We take every game as an important one and go out to try and win every time. We’re only in the Europa League now and we’re going to go out and try and win. We want to win the competition of course because we want to be part of a Spurs team that is winning things.

"The pressure is normal and you have to deal with that at all big clubs - it'’s down to us to bring a good performance and win the game."

Former Spurs striker has been a success at new club AZ Alkmaar

No regrets: Troy Parrott

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Dan Kilpatrick @ Dan_KP1 minute ago

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Troy Parrott has said he has no regrets about leaving Tottenham in the summer, with the AZ Alkmaar forward aiming to dent his former club's Europa League hopes on Thursday night.

Parrott's AZ face Spurs in the competition for the second time this season in the last-16 first leg in the Netherlands after Ange Postecoglou's side won 1-0 in the initial league phase back in October.

The Republic of Ireland international joined Spurs as a 15-year-old from boyhood club Belvedere and went on to make four appearances before joining Alkmaar permanently in the summer following a series of loans.

He has been a hit at the Eredivisie club, scoring 12 goals in 24 league appearances, as well as four times in eight starts in the Europa League.

Asked if he had any regrets about not staying at Spurs longer, Parrott said: "No, definitely not. For me it just didn’t happen. I’m OK with that.

"I’m here, I’m really enjoying myself here, I love life over here. Now I’m just focusing on where I am right now and trying to progress and keep getting better here.

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"I look back with a smile. It's a place where I grew up. I moved away from home quite young so when I went there I was in a phase of going from a kid to a teenager and then past that.

"It was always good for me. It helped me become the person and player I am now so I can only look back on that with good memories.

"I think it was just the right time for both of us to move on. When I look back, that's not what I think. I just think about the good times I had growing up there now I'm here.

Troy Parrott left Tottenham permanently in the summer

Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

"I never had a conversation [with head coach Postecoglou]. For me, I was ready to move on and I think the club were also ready to move on. I thought it was the perfect time to do so. That’s just the way it went and I’m here now.

"It’s going to be an interesting game," he added. "I feel we’re in a better position now than we were when we played the first time. It will be interesting to see, we’ll have to wait until after the game tomorrow to see what happens."

Spurs have had a week off before the game while AZ will be playing their fourth game in two weeks, with Parrott having started the previous three. The 23-year-old revealed he had been using a cryo chamber to help his recovery between matches.

"It’s something I have picked up and it benefits me in trying to recover as well as I can in the couple of days we have to do so," he said.

"I can’t tell if I am fully recovered or not but I feel like for me personally it helps. It’s really cold, minus 120 degrees, so I go in there for three minutes and for me I feel like it helps.

"Especially when you play so many games, it’s really important to try to recover the best you can so you’re ready to go again for the next game. For me it’s about trying to find extra things to benefit that."

I moved away from home quite young so when I went there I was in a phase of going from a kid to a teenager and then past that.

Troy Parrott

Parrott is conscious that it has been a difficult season for Spurs, with Postecoglou's side languising in 13th in the table and out of both domestic cups.

"I'm sure it's disappointing for everyone there," he said. "When I was there, the focus was always the top four and being at the top of the table. I think looking from the outside, because I'm not in there anymore, it looks like there's a disappointment there.

"They're not doing as well as they want to. It seems like a difficult time for them. I'm just trying to focus on my team and what we have to do tomorrow to try to get a result."

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The programme, due to launch in the summer term this year is focused on 12 local primary schools with the aim of teaching core STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills to pupils.

The backers of the programme hope it will equip children from one of London’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods with skills and knowledge in areas such as robotics and machine control, sustainable energy, energy efficiency and eMobility.

Interactive workshops will allow pupils to explore the concepts while immersive challenge days “will encourage teamwork, critical thinking and problem solving for issues inspired by real-world scenarios.”

Sessions will be supported by employees at French owned Schneider Electric as part of a company-wide volunteering initiative.

Pupils and teachers will have access to a learning management system , a digital platform which provides resources, tutorials, and continuous learning opportunities.

The nine week programme will culminate in a ‘Finals Day’ event showcasing techniques learned at F1Ò DRIVE London, the in-stadium electric karting track under Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’s south stand.

Kelly Becker, President, Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands, said: “We need to inspire talent from an early age if we are truly going to harness the potential of the energy transition.

“Our work with Tottenham Hotspur highlights the huge opportunities these skills have on creating positive and impactful environmental change, and we are excited to expand our partnership to educate and empower the local community on this.

“Initiatives such as these will prove vital in equipping the next generation with the skills needed to develop scalable, equitable, and efficient energy solutions for a sustainable future.”

Andrew Wands, education manager at the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, said: "Our goal is to create a stimulating environment in which local students can explore STEM subjects in hands-on and engaging ways, as part of our wider work helping young people prepare for their futures.”

Tottenham have been hit with a huge new injury blow with Dejan Kulusevski pictured wearing a protective boot amid reports that he has been ruled out of Thursday’s clash with AZ Alkmaar.

Spurs’ season so far has been wrecked by injuries, as the likes of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison and others have all been sidelined for lengthy periods during a testing campaign.

Kulusevski, arguably Spurs’ most consistent performer this season, has been able to stay injury-free so far as many of his team-mates spent time in the treatment room.

But now, as others return from injury, Kulusevski is reportedly set for at least a week out with a foot injury and in his latest Instagram post the Swedish international can be seen with his left foot in a protective boot.

It is rumoured to be hoped that the midfielder could play a part in next week’s Europa League last-16 second-leg decider as AZ Alkmaar make the trip to north London, but Kulusevski - who is also expected to miss Sunday’s visit of high-flying Bournemouth in the Premier League - could potentially yet remain sidelined until after the upcoming March international break.

It is another timely blow for Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, who will likely have to accommodate the absence of the influential Kulusevski in Spurs’ biggest game of the season to date at AFAS Stadion on Thursday night.

Spurs should finally have first-choice centre-backs Romero and Van de Ven back soon as the duo close in on their respective returns from injury, with forwards Solanke and Richarlison also expected to resume first-team action soon.

The same is the case for versatile defender Ben Davies, though Tottenham will be missing fellow centre-back Radu Dragusin for the remainder of the season after he recently underwent surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Spurs saw off their Eredivisie counterparts 1-0 earlier this season, thanks to a Richarlison penalty, and have been drawn against them over a two-legged last-16 tie.

Exits in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup mean Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has only success in Europe left to maintain his record of “always” winning silverware in his second season at a club. Spurs remain favourites to do so, but know their Dutch opponents will prove no pushovers.

AZ have lost just once at home across all competitions this season and thumped Galatasaray in the play-off round to get this far, a team Spurs lost to during the League Phase.

Ange Postecoglou opted to leave captain Heung-min Son, impressive full-back Djed Spence and influential midfielder Dejan Kulusevski out of the starting line-up for the home defeat to Manchester City, with this game in mind, and has reportedly since lost the latter to injury. It remains to be seen how serious Kulusevski’s injury is, but initial reports claim he could return for the second leg.

Spurs hope to have centre-back pair Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero available for the second leg, but could even make the squad for the first leg. Dominic Solanke and Richarlison are further behind in their rehabilitation. Timo Werner has not been registered for the Europa League knockout stage.

Jordy Clasie and Peer Koopmeiners will have a battle on their hands in midfield, especially against a Spurs side who were afforded the weekend off with the Premier League schedule on pause for the FA Cup.

Spurs will be the fresher of the two teams but face an AZ side who boast a formidable home record. Ange Postecoglou should be telling his team to keep it tight at the back, but that is no guarantee with the Australian in charge, so goals could well be in plentiful supply.

I expect both teams to come out of the traps quickly, and AZ will look to their 4-1 win at home over Galatasaray as proof they can blow teams away in front of their own fans. Spurs will likely be happy with a draw ahead of hosting the second leg at home. It could be a bit of a nervy affair.

Pep Guardiola is often magnanimous in victory, so his effusive praise for Tottenham after Manchester City's 1-0 win in north London last week was entirely on-brand.

Guardiola hailed Spurs as a “fantastic” team with “brilliant” players, labelled Ange Postecoglou “exceptional” and added: “This is one of the best depth of squads I have ever seen.”

In spite of Guardiola's reputation for placating his vanquished opponents, it was interesting to hear the game's leading coach highlighting the depth of Spurs' squad, particularly after Postecoglou spent December and January barely able to cobble together an XI of senior players.

Now Spurs' injury list is clearing, it is true that Postecoglou's options look increasingly promising in a number of positions (even if Guardiola must have been delighted that Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski and Djed Spence were left on the bench last week).

Mikey Moore, for example, has established himself as an important part of the Spurs squad this season but, assuming he was fully fit, the 17-year-old winger could not make it onto a bench that included Son, Kulusevski, Timo Werner and Dane Scarlett against the champions.

When Dominic Solanke and Richarlison return to fitness, which should be imminent in the case of the former, it is hard to imagine the on-loan Werner or Scarlett regularly making the matchday squad, either.

With a fully-fit squad, Postecoglou is going to be particularly well-stocked at left wing, where Son, Wilson Odobert, January signing Mathys Tel, Moore and Werner are all most comfortable, while Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson are specialists on the opposite flank.

At the back, Archie Gray has just been named young player of the year at the London Football Awards for his performances while filling in at centre-back this season and the 18-year-old caught the eye again against City.

Gray wants to play in midfield long-term which is just as well because when everyone is fit he is likely to be Spurs' sixth-choice in the heart of defence after January signing Kevin Danso, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin, who is out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Postecoglou expects Van de Ven and Romero to finally be ready to return by late this week, at the latest, so the head coach is set to have some tough decisions ahead.

Gray and Davies can also offer cover at full-back, where Spence, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie are now in fierce competition for two places.

In midfield, too, there is relatively little to choose between Postecoglou's options. Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur have started the last four games but Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are pushing for their places. And many fans are desperate to see what Gray can do in his natural position.

James Maddison and Kulusevski offer Postecoglou two different and compelling options in attacking midfield, and have even played together as twin No8s.

Postecoglou does not have the best XI in the Premier League but he surely has more depth than any Spurs head coach of the modern era, and perhaps as much competition for places (when everyone is fit, of course) as any of his top-flight counterparts.

The Australian has repeatedly called for Premier League clubs to be allowed bigger squads and warned that Spurs' rivals will start to suffer from the type of injury crisis which decimated his group over the winter, so he will be pleased to find himself with some positive selection headaches.

The potential problem for Spurs and Postecoglou, however, is that the club's chances of returning to Europe next season now appear to rest on winning the Europa League after the City defeat left them 10 points behind Brighton in eighth place.

Spurs' encouraging depth would be hugely beneficial if they are competing in the Champions League as Europa League winners next season, but without European football, having so many similar options could become a squad management issue for Postecoglou, only increasing the importance of Europe to the club's short-term future.

Contractor warns says major contracts are being scrapped or put on hold

The £1 billion Tottenham Hotspur stadium in north London was a major Severfield project

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Britain’s biggest structural steel contractor Severfield, which includes Lord’s cricket ground expansion, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, and the West End’s Outernet among its high profile London projects, today warned of lower profits in a “challenging” market.

In a gloomy trading update the company said it had been hit by new projects being scrapped or put on hold “consistent with the current lower level of business confidence in the UK economy as a whole.”

Shares in Severfield immediately slumped more than 40% at the start of trading falling by 19.7p to 28p.

Pride exhibition at Severfield project the Outernet in 2024

Outernet

It said that market conditions in the UK and across Europe “have shown no signs of improvement, with pricing remaining at tighter levels for longer than expected in a competitive market and project opportunities continuing to be either cancelled or delayed.”

This included one particular large unnamed project for which steel production was expected to start in January and which has now been delayed until early next year.

Severfield, which has also worked in the new Everton stadium, the Riverside stand at Fulham football club and Wimbledon’s Number One court, said it has not been possible to secure sufficient short-term orders to offset overheads in the fourth quarter.

As a result pre-tax profits for the year to the end of March 2025 are now only expected to be in the range of £18 million to £20 million, with a further fall in 2026 .

The UK and Europe order book at 1 February was £403 million, of which £281 million is for delivery over the next 12 months, while net debt at 31 January was £55 million.

The outlook for the coming year is being clouded by deferred decision making by clients and projects “not being awarded or progressing within normal timescales” an absence of large 'anchor' projects in the order book “and a general market backdrop which is not expected to improve in the short-term.”

However the company is more confident about the longer term prospects with emerging opportunities in areas such as data centres, manufacturing and offices, particularly some large scale developments in London.

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