Spurs UI21's play Brighton U21's on Friday in the play off semi finals after they beat West Ham yesterday.
-
The Fighting Cock is a forum for fans of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Here you can discuss Spurs latest matches, our squad, tactics and any transfer news surrounding the club. Registration gives you access to all our forums (including 'Off Topic' discussion) and removes most of the adverts (you can remove them all via an account upgrade). You're here now, you might as well...
Player Spurs Youth 2025/26
- Thread starter Spursidol
- Start date
Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports
Spurs UI21's play Brighton U21's on Friday in the play off semi finals after they beat West Ham yesterday.
View: https://x.com/garyrward/status/2051920255744680318?s=46&t=Gc6HrWVZT0mtSXU7r8ZBIQ
Spursidol
Football Chap
Thoughts on Reiss Russell-Denny.
View: https://x.com/Spurs_Academy/status/2051958476394439076?s=20
Jack, Spurs u15 GK, makes his u18 debut probably recognising a very good game in the U16 PL Cup recently.
U16's Jobling and Backles make the bench whilst u16 Sandiford is back in at RB where he's almost become a fixture this season.
Good to see Salter back fit on bench, otherwise its a reshuffle of recent squads. Nothing really riding on this game, other than we may finish 2nd in U18 PL behind run away leaders Chelsea. Only 4 on bench which is a surprise and no back up gk
View: https://x.com/garyrward/status/2051920255744680318?s=46&t=Gc6HrWVZT0mtSXU7r8ZBIQ
Thoughts on Reiss Russell-Denny.
Excellent pick up from Chelsea where rumours from Chelsea youth sources was he did not like Chelsea coaches chosen style of play where midfield players usually watched ball go over their heads. He's the only successful pick up of players his age out of half a dozen (Jobling the other major success is younger).
Good all round CM, was surprised he didn't go out on loan in January, highly likely to go out on loan in summer window.
A genuinely good CM different from, but comparable to in terms of overall ability to both Olusesi and Hall who are in his age group, and some might argue he's the best of the three. I can't emphasise enough how lucky we were to pick him up
The hell has gone on at Chelsea. They used to be known for taking all the best youngsters from others.
In general terms they have over recruited.
The reason why we got Jobling is that Chelsea had 18+ very good players (including half the E u16 squad, circa 10 who had played E u16 plus other players affiliated to other countries), but could only offer a maximum of 15 player s a spot (at u18, the maximum number of players allowed in academy is 30 players between u18 and u17, so about 15 players a year).
So as Chelsea had a surplus of right sided defenders, one of players they were prepared to sacrifice was E u16 captain and RB (also plays LB as he did in u16 PL Cup final the other day) George Jobling. So Spurs were very happy to take him.
With Reiss Chelsea had a number of good CM's so if Reiss didn't like coaches style of play, he could leave. Reiss suits several CM positions at Spurs, knew some of Spurs players already from playing for England, so it was an easy transition to Spurs
Time to forecast the changes to youth playing staff for 2026/27 season.
Firstly players joining the Development squad from Academy Year 2 - Dylan Thompson, Malachi Hardy, Miracle Adewole, Jamel Jordan Beggs, Harry Bryne, Tye Hall, George Feeney, Tynan Thompson, Ronnie Moncur, & Reiss Ellis- Parris (10 players), all of whom have been awarded pro contracts.
.Elijah Upson seems not to have accepted a pro contract, and like his father Matthew, might have decided not to sign one and move to another club. I suspect Myrtaj and Bangura will be released.
Firstly players joining the Development squad from Academy Year 2 - Dylan Thompson, Malachi Hardy, Miracle Adewole, Jamel Jordan Beggs, Harry Bryne, Tye Hall, George Feeney, Tynan Thompson, Ronnie Moncur, & Reiss Ellis- Parris (10 players), all of whom have been awarded pro contracts.
.Elijah Upson seems not to have accepted a pro contract, and like his father Matthew, might have decided not to sign one and move to another club. I suspect Myrtaj and Bangura will be released.
To create space for the new members of Development squad, Spurs will release players out of contract not thought to be of the right quality to warrant a further contract.
I'd suggest that Ashcroft, Pele, Logan, Craig, Black, and maybe King and Lehane (7 players) will probably be released whilst Maguire and Cassanova both being almost 22 but still under contract may be made available for a free transfer - so a total of 9 players.
I'm not sure if Wilson has done enough to take up his option to buy, so he may go back to Hearts.
If those changes are made we are left with 12 u21's not loaned out this season to
GK (3) - Gunter, Bloehorn, Archer
Defenders (2) - Rowswell, Furnell-Gil (*)
Midfielders (4) - Kyerematen, Batty (*), Denny, Olusesi
Forwards (3) - McFadden (*), Sowunmi, Melia
Those 3 players with (*) beside them were poor acquisitions but with contracts until 2027 (?), who I'd guess we'd like to try to move on if possible.
But that gives us a total planned 12 man development squad from this season staying into next season - of whom perhaps 4 or 5 might be loaned out, and including the new players playing in the Development squad a total of 22 players in next season's Development squad
Additionally its likely that Byfield and Williams-Barnett will play up in u21's next season, as they have done from time to time this season (but equally could be loaned out next season)
I'd suggest that Ashcroft, Pele, Logan, Craig, Black, and maybe King and Lehane (7 players) will probably be released whilst Maguire and Cassanova both being almost 22 but still under contract may be made available for a free transfer - so a total of 9 players.
I'm not sure if Wilson has done enough to take up his option to buy, so he may go back to Hearts.
If those changes are made we are left with 12 u21's not loaned out this season to
GK (3) - Gunter, Bloehorn, Archer
Defenders (2) - Rowswell, Furnell-Gil (*)
Midfielders (4) - Kyerematen, Batty (*), Denny, Olusesi
Forwards (3) - McFadden (*), Sowunmi, Melia
Those 3 players with (*) beside them were poor acquisitions but with contracts until 2027 (?), who I'd guess we'd like to try to move on if possible.
But that gives us a total planned 12 man development squad from this season staying into next season - of whom perhaps 4 or 5 might be loaned out, and including the new players playing in the Development squad a total of 22 players in next season's Development squad
Additionally its likely that Byfield and Williams-Barnett will play up in u21's next season, as they have done from time to time this season (but equally could be loaned out next season)
There were some dozen players loaned out thus season,
Luca Gunter, Ashley Phillips, Alfie Dorrington, George Abbott, Alfie Devine, Jamie Donley, Dane Scarlett, Will Lankshear, Mikey Moore, Damola Ajayi, Yusuf Akhamrich, Oliver Irow, Tyrese Hall and Luka Vuskovic.
I'd guess many will be loaned out again next season, with up to say 4 players included in First Team squad and one or two moving to other clubs
Luca Gunter, Ashley Phillips, Alfie Dorrington, George Abbott, Alfie Devine, Jamie Donley, Dane Scarlett, Will Lankshear, Mikey Moore, Damola Ajayi, Yusuf Akhamrich, Oliver Irow, Tyrese Hall and Luka Vuskovic.
I'd guess many will be loaned out again next season, with up to say 4 players included in First Team squad and one or two moving to other clubs
Worth adding that most of the loanees have either played the last game of their loaned clubs fixture or will do in next next couple of days - and that means they will be returning to Spurs where I imagine they will be training.
Whilst De Zerbi and most of his coaching staff will be focussed on first team training, I'd imagine a coach or two (including probably Andy Scoulding, Performance Manager who's job it is to arrange loans and monitor loanees and maybe Recruitment staff to answer the question 'if this youngster were at a different club would we be monitoring him to buy' ) will be assessing the youngsters as to who to recommend to De Zerbi as to who to take on preseason and potentially joining first team squad for 2026/27.
Tottenham u21 v Brighton u21 @ 19.00 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Semi final of Knock Out stage to become PL2 winners.
Last u21 Squad
Bloedorn, Rowswell (c), Hardy (Logan 90+4), Cassanova, Arganese-McDermott, McFadden (Wilson 46), Black, Kyerematen (Furnell-Gill 90+4), Melia, Russell-Denny, T Thompson (Lehane 77).
Substitute (not used): Archer.
Players who might come in include Byfield, LWB and Byrne if now fit. The u18's are all but guaranteed to finish 2nd in the table, with their last game next Tuesday, so one or two others might play up. Otherwise expect a minor shake up of the squad and hope for a win to take Spurs to the finals which will be against one of the Manc's .
www.tottenhamhotspur.com
Semi final of Knock Out stage to become PL2 winners.
Last u21 Squad
Bloedorn, Rowswell (c), Hardy (Logan 90+4), Cassanova, Arganese-McDermott, McFadden (Wilson 46), Black, Kyerematen (Furnell-Gill 90+4), Melia, Russell-Denny, T Thompson (Lehane 77).
Substitute (not used): Archer.
Players who might come in include Byfield, LWB and Byrne if now fit. The u18's are all but guaranteed to finish 2nd in the table, with their last game next Tuesday, so one or two others might play up. Otherwise expect a minor shake up of the squad and hope for a win to take Spurs to the finals which will be against one of the Manc's .
Under-21s to host semi-final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – tickets available now
Our Under-21s will be in action at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the semi-finals of the Premier League 2 play-offs next Friday (8 May, 7pm UK), with tickets available now.
www.tottenhamhotspur.com
Last edited: