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Whatever happened to minute by minute updates on the OS twitter?
I'm still puzzling over our youth signings :
On tral today - Marcel Lavenier (formerly at Chelsea) a right sided CB/RB (Dob 16 December 2000 so aged 19 still). Portugal u20 . Possibly left Chelsea as he has Reece James ahead of him, and Lamptney left to join Brighton this summer for that reason as he would have no chance of first team game time with James ahead of him. So he could be a decent prospect in his own right.
Just signed - Keenan Ferguson (formerly Sheffield United), CB/RB (DoB 28 August 2000) so same age bar a couple of months as Lavenier. And he looked very good in pre-season compared to some of Spurs other u23 defenders, especially in the streamed game v Orient first team.
Logically you'd expect these two to be in competition (if we sign Lavenier) for the CB/RB position for the rest of this season to see who is better - but both are older than we generally recruit for u23's to be joining Spurs, so what's going on ? Are one or both being trialed to see if they could deputise at RB in place of Aurier either now or in January or even next summer if Aurier leaves ?
Just to add confusion, we have Dermi Lusala (dob 16 January 2003 - a RB/CB so at 17 a year or two away from possible first team training involvement but certainly looking a great prospect last season for u18's) so about 2 years younger than Lavenier and Ferguson and too young yet to be a first team contender. But Lusala will need to be playing u23's this season to develop........so might be tricky if there are 3 contenders for RB..... and not too much spare room at CB with Jubril Okendina (CB/RB) who made pre-season bench and another born in 2000, as was Brooklyn Lyons-Foster (CB/FB ) and Malachi Walcott, CB (born 2003 so a little younger) who made a short appearance off he bench v Leipzig......so llots of competition at CB too.
So that looks like 6 players to fit in at RB or one of the two CB positions......and that's without talking about the Estonian CB's who have already played in the Estonian Leagues......or TJ Eyoma (CB/RB), again born in 2000 who will return at the end of this season from his oan at Lincoln .
So really don't think the recruitment of Ferguson or potential recruitment of Lavenier can be connected to u23's, so other than any plans we might have to loan then out (to create a Loan Army) , only option left on the table seems to be as back up RB's in case Aurier leaves.
Any thoughts WindyCOYS ? Anyone ?
It could be that we want to loan out Under-23 players so are bringing in temporary cover to allow us to put a team out. But my feeling is that we've spotted that young, English players are undervalued by the market. Get these boys in, get them out on loan and create value in them. It sounds like a decent business model (although ethically not necessarily the best choice for the players).
Think of it as a year long trial? If Tracey has been with us for all of this time then surely Ferguson will get another seven years?!Agree with the 2nd part - but in the announcement by Spurs (in a match report) it said that Keenan Ferguson had signed a one year deal.............which means the loan has no commercial upside to us !
Perhaps by mid October when domestic TW closes a contract extension will have been agreed !?