Tottenham Hotspur have a long history of bringing through incredible talent from their academy. Players like Sol Campbell, Glenn Hoddle and, of course, Harry Kane have lit up both the Premier League and the international stage over the years.
Having a good academy is so important in the modern game. With the financial restrictions currently in force, clubs will need to rely on producing quality players to play for the first team, or to sell on to generate money for more high profile transfers. But, more importantly than that, there is nothing a fan base enjoys more than seeing ‘one of their own’ make it into the first team. Many Spurs legends have made their way through the youth setup.
So who are the next generation of wonderkids that are going to light up the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium? That’s what we are going to be taking a look at in this article, before rounding off with how you can get yourself to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to see them in action, with a quick look at the premium tickets and hospitality packages on offer. First though, let’s look at the youth team.
The Tottenham Hotspur Academy Setup
The Tottenham Hotspur Football Club Academy takes in talented young players, usually from the local area, from the age of 8, and coaches them right up to 23 years old. Like other Premier League academies, there is an emphasis on not just educating their players in the ways of football, but also academically. The harsh reality is that most of the players in any academy won’t make it at a high level of football, so it’s absolutely critical that the players leave Spurs with academic qualifications.
The director of the Academy is Simon Davies – this is not the same Simon Davies that played for Spurs in the early 2000s, it is the one that was part of the famous ‘Class of 92’ at Manchester United. His boss is Johan Lange, the Technical Director at Tottenham Hotspur, who is largely responsible for recruitment at the club, including at the academy. When Lange joined Spurs from Aston Villa in November 2023, he set out his plan to align the first team and the academy so that the same style of play would be introduced throughout the club – this should make the transition from academy to first team much smoother for the players.
So who are the players that are looking to break through into the first team?
Alfie Devine – 1/08/2004
It feels like Alfie Devine has been a promising youth player for years and years, but he is still just 19 years old. He is probably the most well known of the Spurs youth side, and is currently on loan at Championship side Plymouth.
Part of the reason that he feels like he’s been around for a long time is because he made his Tottenham Hotspur debut aged just 16 years and 163 days in a FA Cup match vs Marine, and he managed to get on the scoresheet in a 5-0 win. Jose Mourinho was the manager at the time – that’s how long ago it was!
Devine impressed as a playmaker playing a little bit deeper in his loan spell at Port vale, as opposed to his regular role as an attacking midfielder. The Spurs academy made the decision to try him out at Championship level for the second half of the season, and Spurs fans will be eager to see how he gets on.
He’s still a very exciting prospect, even after all these years(!). His goal has to be to get amongst the first team during the 2024-25 season – his ability to pop up in goalscoring situations could be vital for the first team.
Yago Santiago – 15/04/2003
Yago Santiago hasn’t been afforded many opportunities to prove himself in a Spurs shirt, but he is highly thought of in the Spurs setup, and has had a really exciting season at academy level – surely it’s just a matter of time before he makes the jump into the first team?
He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2019, from his local side Celta Vigo, but at the time of writing, he hasn’t made a first team appearance yet. He has featured in the matchday squad on a number of occasions though, the first time was against Manchester City in December 2023.
He can play anywhere across the front line, but his best position is probably a left winger. He is one of those players that makes dribbling the ball seem effortless, and he is a constant threat to the opposition. In his first eight matches for the Academy this season he scored six and got four assists – he’s clearly too good for that level, so when will he make the step up? He could be a great asset to the Spurs team, but as one of the older players in the youth team, he’ll be desperate to make the jump soon, or he may look to move elsewhere to get first team football.
Jude Soonsup-Bell – 10/01/2004
Jude Soonsup-Bell has the potential to become a huge star for Spurs. He’s another player at the sort of age that you would expect him to be knocking on the door of the first team very soon, and his record for the academy has been excellent over the last 12 months.
It was seen as something of a coup when Tottenham Hotspur managed to coax Soonsup-Bell across the capital from London rivals Chelsea. He had already made his debut for the Blues, and was highly thought of there, but as his contract drew close to expiring in January 2023, Spurs made the move for him and got their man.
He started out as a midfielder, but he has become a prolific striker at academy level, even being compared to Cristiano Ronaldo by some (over-excited) fans. He has a lot of great qualities, both in terms of his physicality and his skillset, so I am sure that we will see him in the first team before too long – surely he would have gone out on loan if he wasn’t in the mind of new manager Ange Postecoglou? You get the feeling with Soonsup-Bell that as soon as he gets an opportunity, he won’t look back.
Rio Kyerematen – 9/06/2005
Rio Kyerematen has been with the Spurs academy since he was eight, and has progressed up the ranks seamlessly to the under 21s, and has represented England at U16 and U18 level.
He seemed to be on the cusp of making his Spurs debut earlier in the 2023-24 season when the first team were going through one of its many injury and suspension crises, especially after Bissouma’s red card against Luton Town. It didn’t happen for him that time, but he has continued to impress in the youth sides, so you would think he would be firmly in the frame for the next crisis!
He is a classy player, with an eye for a pass, driving the team forward with his excellent range of passing. He’s the sort of midfielder that you can trust on the ball, and ball retention is so important to the way Spurs play under Postecoglou, so his talent won’t go unnoticed. He also contributes some great goals, as this thunderbolt against Peterborough U21 illustrates!
Perhaps a loan next season can help him develop, but it seems only a matter of time before Kyerematen is making a name for himself.
Will Lankshear – 20/04/2005
When a club spends £2 million on a player that has never made a senior appearance, you know that there is something about him. Clubs don’t spend that sort of money on just anybody.
So when Tottenham Hotspur signed Will Lankshear from Sheffield United in 2022 for that amount, there was understandably a bit of a buzz around him. He made his debut for the Tottenham U18 side that October, with them trailing 3-1 to Wolves – within minutes he had scored twice to pull them level. He made some appearances for the first team during the post 2022 World Cup friendlies, but at that point it was decided he should go for surgery to sort out a knee issue, so he has gone a little under the radar since all the hype when he arrived.
To put it simply, Will Lankshear scores goals. He has done at every level he’s played at, but there is more to his game than just poaching goals – he is great at creating space for his teammates with intelligent runs. He never stops running.
Oh, and just to add a bit of spice to when he makes an appearance in a North London derby – Lankshear started his journey at Arsenal before he moved up to Sheffield United.
Jamie Donley – 3/1/2005
Jamie Donely is one of the few academy players that has been given a first team appearance under Ange Postecoglou – making his debut away to Manchester City in that epic 3-3 draw in December 2023, and also appearing in the 4-1 win over Newcastle United that month.
Donley has been described by some as the new Harry Kane (no pressure, mate) largely because this kid can finish with a sweet left foot. Having been with the side since he was in the Under 8 team, he knows the club inside out, just like Kane did.
He was another player that had plenty of interest from lower league teams that wanted to take him on loan, but Spurs wanted to keep him around their first team. You get the feeling that if they should suffer any injuries to forwards, Donley is the first cab on the rank to replace them. At his age, though, any first team matchday experience is a bonus.
Donley has sufficiently ‘made it’ enough to have his own compilation video – from this you can see why people compare him to Kane, he is brilliant at bringing teammates into the game, as well as being in the right place at the right time to score. People at the club have very high hopes for this lad.
Alfie Dorrington – 20/4/2005
Alfie Dorrington has been in and around the first team squad under Ange Postecoglou, but is yet to make his first team debut.
It won’t be long though – the towering centre back (6ft 4 at the age of 18), has impressed the academy staff throughout his time at the club, becoming captain of the Under 21s, despite being one of the more junior players. he has also represented England at U15, U17, U18 and U19 level.
Dorrington is great on the ball – a quality more and more important in the modern game for a centre back, especially under a coach like Postecoglou. Obviously his height is a huge advantage at junior levels, but it would be wrong to focus too much on that – he can read the game very well as well.
Players like Dorrington will need to prove themselves at a first team level, most likely on loan, before they will be considered to be a major part of the first team, but he stands a great chance of making the step up.
Lucas Bergvall – 2/02/2006
We’ll finish this look at Tottenham’s most exciting youth players with Lucas Bergvall – a big money signing from Djurgården in Sweden. Perhaps the first major move of Johan Lange’s reign at Tottenham Hotspur.
He isn’t due to join the club until July 2024, but Spurs have committed £8.5 million to his signing, which shows how highly rated he is. He hadn’t turned 18 when the deal was struck. Spurs aren’t the only ones to see his quality – he has already made his senior debut for Sweden, and he was named as one of the best players in the world born in 2006 by The Guardian.
He could be anything – it seems that he doesn’t have a ceiling to his potential. He has played up front and in midfield, he is a confident passer and also gets stuck into tackles. He scores goals and he’s over 6ft. It’s up to Ange Postecoglou to work out how best to use this exciting Swede, but I’m sure he’ll find a way.
You’d think that Bergvall will be a part of the Spurs first team as soon as he joins the club, and there will be plenty of envious clubs around Europe looking on.
Tottenham Hotspur Hospitality Packages
If you want to get yourself down to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch the next crop of youngsters start to make their name for the club, then we have good news and bad news. the bad news is that getting your hands on Tottenham Hotspur tickets is easier said than done – they sell out for most matches.
However, the good news is that you can still attend matches with VIP tickets. This is a great way to enjoy a premium yet authentic football experience. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has some of the best facilities in the country, and they have really gone to great lengths to offer premium packages for you and your guests. Here are a couple of our favourite hospitality options:
Premium Experience
This is a great package to mix amongst plenty of Spurs fans (and maybe a few Spurs legends), both before and after a match, while at the same time enjoying premium bars and some of the best seats in the house.
You’ll have access to the Premium Experience tier for up to three hours before kick off. There you will be able to enjoy some pre-match live entertainment, as well as a huge selection of unlimited bowl food and access to the premium cash bars.
For the game, you will have luxury padded seats in the Premier Tier, offering incredible views of the pitch. You’ll also get a complimentary half time drink.
After the game, you can head back to the Premium lounges for an hour after the final whistle, where sweet snacks will be served, and you can chat with other fans about the match you have just seen. The perfect way to round off a great day out.
Stratus
This package has it all – incredible food, premium seats and exclusive lounges.
Again, you will have access to Stratus Lounge for up to three hours before kick off, and on arrival you will be greeted with a welcome drink. From the lounge you will have amazing panoramic views of, not just the pitch, but also of London. You’ll also have a grazing buffet with a wonderful selection of food, and a complimentary bar serving beer, wine and soft drinks.
When kick off rolls around, you’ll have premium padded seats in the Upper Tier, right on the halfway line – one the best views in the Premier League.
You’ll have access to the lounge for another two hours after the game, where there will be more food and drink on offer. This is one of the most excellent hospitality packages around, and you can see why it has become so popular.
If you are interested in oneSpurs of these premium experiences at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we would love to help you. Have a look through the upcoming matches, and get in touch when you have selected your chosen fixture dates. We can then help you find the perfect packages for you and your guests to create an unforgettable day, regardless of the result.
