Going into the offseason in dire need of an attack-minded winger, a clinical finisher and depth at left-back, Tottenham were expected to be active in the movement window. However, the Hotspurs are yet to add top-tier stars.
Instead, manager Ange Postecoglou, who guided Tottenham to fifth place in his first season, and Hotspur are counting on young players to fuel their rise.
Here are 3 teenage midfielders to watch.
Tottenham took Gray, a flexible midfielder, from Premier League hopefuls Leeds United over the summer. By paying $57. 8 million for the 18-year-old’s services, Hotspur welcomed Gray for what they hope will be a fraction of what he will be worth in a few years.
Gray has inspired Tottenham coaches and workplace education and could land a leading role in the Premier League, which opens its season on August 16. He has shown that he is a capable central defender or defensive midfielder who suits Postecoglou’s taste of play.
After the first friendly of the summer against Tottenham, Postecoglou said Gray had done a wonderful job integrating Dom Smith from The Standard.
“It adapts to the speed and speed of everything we do,” he said.
Tottenham acquired the 18-year-old last summer from Djurgardens IF, a Swedish team in Stockholm, for $10. 9 million. Tottenham thwarted Barcelona to sign Bergvall and then sent him back on loan to Djurgardens IF to continue his development.
In 11 starts in his final season for his club, Bergvall scored 3 goals and an assist.
Like Gray, Bergvall, who may be a key player in Tottenham’s midfield, has inspired with his performances in education and pre-season.
Bergvall, who left a preseason match on July 20 against Queen Park Rangers due to injury, showed composure and creativity in his limited time on the pitch.
Tottenham fans deserve happiness too, so here’s a sweet, sweet volley from Lucas Bergvall. Bergvall, 18, will register with Spurs on July 1 after signing in the latest movement window and putting on an exhibition in Sweden in the meantime. pic. twitter . com/4xQZELeVZV
At just 16 years old, Moore has already proven himself to be a future star, temporarily emerging through the ranks of the Tottenham Academy and helping Tottenham’s under-21 team earn the PL2 name last season.
In 4 preseason games, Moore scored six goals, proving that he can fill out a stat sheet and get players on the field.
Moore was highly sought after across other big clubs, adding Chelsea in the off-season, but Tottenham latched on to the potential superstar.
Tottenham, who already have the third-youngest team in the Premier League, will continue to recruit young players with the greatest potential.
The Hotspurs have been connected with 19-year-old Lecce left-back Patrick Dorgu and have reached an agreement with Gangwon FC to sign 18-year-old Korean winger Yang Min-hyuk.
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