Tottenham made further moves in the transfer market over the summer, signing the likes of Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert as they looked to further shape the squad in Ange Postecoglou’s image.
While there have been a number of fresh faces through the door, a number – ranging from senior players to younger academy graduates on the fridges – have been shipped out on loan, with no role to play in Postecoglou’s immediate plans for the 2024-25 campaign.
Matthew Craig
Having made 18 appearances in League Two for Doncaster Rovers in the latter half of last season, it was always unlikely that Scotland Under-21 defensive midfielder Craig would make the giant leap to feature for his parent club this season.
But he’s continuing his development, once again in South Yorkshire, at a higher level – this time at League One Barnsley. He’s been a near ever-present at the base of midfield for the Tykes so far this season, having started nine of their 10 matches in the third tier.
Barnsley currently sit underwhelmingly bang in midtable, with a mixed record of four wins, three draws and three defeats, but this ought to prove a useful learning curve for the youngster.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
A pragmatist might have suggested that Hojbjerg’s experience might have been useful in stodging things up in Spurs’ recent 3-2 defeat to Brighton, but for better or worse the club appear intent on going Full Angeball – and last season the Dane never looked the most natural fit for that full-blooded, front-footed style.
You might say the say the same about Roberto De Zerbi’s football, but here we are. Hojbjerg has played almost every minute in Ligue 1 for Marseille, who started the season like a house on fire but have since suffered a blip with dropped points against Strasbourg and Angers.
Title talk was probably a bit premature, but Hojbjerg looks at home for a side that ought to have realistic ambitions of Champions League qualification.
Bryan Gil
It’s never quite happened for the Beatle-looking Spaniard at Tottenham, has it?
It’s increasingly looking as though Gil is more suited to one environment than another – a bit like Giovani Lo Celso, currently thriving at Real Betis – and is now onto his third loan back to his home country in as many years.
Following his stints at Valencia and Sevilla, the winger is now turning out for Girona. He notched in a 4-0 mauling of Osasuna back in August but has failed to score or assist in eight appearances since then, finding himself in and out of their starting XI.
Girona massively punched above their weight to finish in the top four last season, but a repeat looks altogether less likely after a summer exodus. The early indications are that replacements such as Gil aren’t quite at the level required to maintain that stupendous form.
Alejo Veliz
A £13million signing from Rosario Central last summer, Argentina youth international Veliz is still finding his feet in European football.
He never made it beyond the periphery of Postecoglou’s first-team squad and spent the latter half of last season struggling for opportunities at Sevilla.
But newly-promoted Espanyol appear more keen to give him a chance; he’s already notched over 500 more minutes so far this season than he mustered in his last loan.
It hasn’t been especially easy for the striker at a side that are battling in the lower reaches of the La Liga table, but he does at least boast a 96th-minute match-winner in a vital 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano.
READ NEXT: David Bentley: ‘My 10-year-old son has rekindled my love for football’
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every manager to take charge of Tottenham in the Premier League?
Dane Scarlett
Talked up as one to watch for a few years now, Scarlett’s still never made it beyond making the odd cameo for his boyhood club. He’s now onto his third loan in the Football League, now at Oxford United after the fringe role he played in Ipswich Town’s promotion last term (recalled in December due to a lack of playing time).
The 20-year-old forward may have similar frustrations this time around, with all five of his appearances in the Championship so far off the bench, and late on at that. He’s played just 57 minutes of football in the second tier at the time of writing.
Jamie Donley
A homegrown forward who made his debut in the madcap 3-3 draw with Manchester City last season, 19-year-old Donley – who has represented both Northern Ireland and England at Under-19 level – is now getting his first taste of regular(ish) senior football at League One side Leyton Orient.
He’s featured fairly prominently so far for Orient, with seven appearances (five starts) in the third tier. He’s yet to score or assist but has impressed manager Richie Wellens, albeit with some constructive criticism thrown in.
“On the ball, he has the world at his feet,” Wellens told The Athletic. “He can play at the top level if he wants to.
“But you look at the top teams now, as soon as they lose that ball, they sprint back. That is something Jamie needs in his game — the reaction as soon as the ball turns over, whether it is to go and press or slide back into shape. It is something over the next six to eight months, while he is with us, we will try to develop. If he gets that, he will be a real top player.”
Ashley Phillips
Another signing from last summer that was made with one eye on the future, Phillips joined shortly after his 18th birthday after catching the eye for Blackburn Rovers.
The England Under-20 centre-back spent his first six months developing his skills in Spurs’ youth ranks before going on to get more experience in the Championship for relegation-battling Plymouth Argyle. After helping the Pilgrims stay up in the end, he’s since joined Stoke City on a season-long loan.
Phillips, 19, has found game time harder to come by at the Bet365 Stadium. Two of his three appearances to date have been in the League Cup. Concussion protocol kept him sidelined for a short while but he’s yet to feature under the Potters’ new boss Narcis Pelach.
Manor Solomon
We’re sure Tottenham fans will be shocked to hear that Solomon has spent time on the treatment table since moving to Leeds United in the final days of the transfer window.
The Israeli winger has bolstered Daniel Farke’s promotion-chasing squad following the departures of key attackers Crysensio Summerville and Georginio Rutter.
His first two appearances for Leeds were something of a mixed bag. He did well to assist the opener in a 2-0 victory over Hull City on his debut but suffered a misfortune slip against Burnley, the mistake proving costly for the only goal in a 1-0 defeat at home to Burnley.
He’s remained sidelined over the recent international break but is expected back soon.
QUIZ: Can you name Tottenham’s top 30 goalscorers in the Premier League?
George Abbott
Islington-born right-back Abbott made his debut for his boyhood club in the last game before the Postecoglou era, the 4-1 victory away at Leeds that sent them down.
A second appearance was not forthcoming under Postecoglou last season but he continued his development by captaining Spurs’ Under-21s to the Premier League 2 title last term.
Now the 19-year-old is getting his first taste of regular men’s football in League Two with Notts County. He’s impressed so far, often featuring in midfield, and registered his first assist of the campaign in their recent 2-2 draw with Chesterfield.
Josh Keeley
Last season, the Republic of Ireland youth international featured regularly for Barnet in the second half of the campaign.
He’s now made the step up to League One, sharing a dressing room with his fellow Spurs youth prospect Donley at Leyton Orient. But the 21-year-old is currently a back-up and has thus far only featured in their 3-1 League Cup defeat at Brentford.
Alfie Devine
Like Scarlett, Devine is one of those names we’ve been aware of for a few years now. But so far he’s only played a couple of cup games for Spurs, prior to more experience in loans at Port Vale and Plymouth Argyle last season.
Now the attacking midfielder has made the slightly leftfield, eyebrow-raising move to Belgian outfit Westerlo. So far he’s featured in four of their 10 league matches as they sit respectably in sixth place in the Jupiler Pro League.
