Tottenham Hotspur have been a club known to produce elite talent over recent years, with many of them making the jump into the professional game and having a huge impact in the first-team.
Harry Kane is arguably the biggest example in recent years, as the Englishman rose through the academy setup before cementing his place as the Lilywhites’ starting centre forward.
He racked up a total of 280 goals during his decade in the first team in North London, with such a record still remaining as the best tally of any player in their club’s history.
However, it wasn’t enough to catapult the side to any Premier League glory, with Thomas Frank the latest boss try and achieve such a feat in the near future.
His chances of potential success in the role could well be boosted in the years ahead, especially if one player is able to make a jump similar to Kane during the Dane’s tenure.
Why Williams-Barnett could be the future of Spurs
Spurs fans have been given yet another youngster to be excited about in the past couple of months after the emergence of academy star Luca Williams-Barnett.
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder joined the youth setup at U10 level, subsequently spending seven years in the ranks, with the last few months seeing the teenager enjoy a breakthrough.
He’s already made his first-team debut, coming off the bench in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster Rovers this campaign, but it’s his numbers in the youth ranks which has caught the eye.
In his 14 appearances across all competitions, Williams-Barnett has already racked up an incredible tally of 22 goal contributions – broken down into 15 goals and seven assists.
The youngster played in the UEFA Youth League clash against Slavia Prague on Tuesday night, with the attacker registering five goals in their 9-1 triumph over the Czech outfit.
After such a showing, Frank named the teenager on the substitutes bench for the first-team for the Champions League clash last night, but he was unable to get onto the pitch.
However, at just 17, there’s no denying the future is bright for the youngster, with Williams-Barnett undoubtedly a player who could be a key asset in North London for many years to come.
The Spurs star who’s a bigger talent than Williams-Barnett
Despite the academy producing numerous top-level talents in years gone by, the hierarchy have also invested money in the transfer market to try and land players for the future.
Lucas Bergvall joined the Lilywhites last summer for a reported £8m from homeland club Djurgarden, with many expecting the teenager to originally link up with the youth team.
However, the massive injury crisis in North London during 2024/25 handed the Swede the chance to stake his claim, subsequently making 45 appearances across all competitions.
Even after Frank’s appointment, he’s remained as a key member of the squad, as seen by his tally of 19 outings – even netting his first Premier League goal against West Ham United.
Bergvall isn’t the only top young talent who could have a huge impact in the near future, with centre-back Luka Vuskovic another player who could be a first-team regular in the years ahead.
The Croatian joined in a £12m deal from Hajduk Split despite being just 16, with his move to join the Lilywhites only being confirmed during the recent summer window.
The defender, who’s now 18, has already racked up 74 senior appearances despite his tender age, with all of which to date coming away from North London.
Such numbers undoubtedly make him a bigger talent than Williams-Barnett, especially considering he’s already starring in one of Europe’s top-five leagues in 2025/26.
Vuskovic is currently spending the season on loan at Bundesliga side Hamburg, which has resulted in the teenager producing some remarkable figures at both ends of the pitch.
The youngster, who’s been labelled a “freak of nature” by one analyst, has already netted twice this season – including an incredible scorpion kick effort in the recent clash with Werder Bremen.
However, his underlying stats in the defensive third are just as impressive, which highlights why he’s already a bigger talent than Lilywhites star Williams-Barnett.
Vuskovic has been a sensational option in possession this campaign, as seen by his tallies of 86% passes completed and 100% dribbles completed to date.
Games played
11
Goals scored
2
Pass accuracy
86%
Dribbles completed
100%
Duels won
7.5
Duel success rate
67%
Aerials won
5.3
Aerial success
81%
Recoveries made
4.1
Such numbers could make him the perfect ball-playing option in Frank’s system, whilst also having the potential to improve in the future given his tender age.
However, out of possession, the Croatian star has also dominated, as seen by his tally of 7.5 duels won per 90 and his 81% aerial success rate in Germany’s top-flight.
The club’s £12m investment in his signature two years ago is no doubt already appearing to be a bargain, with Vuskovic undoubtedly their long-term solution at the heart of the defence.
His immediate impact on the professional game is nothing short of phenomenal, with his recent showings for Hamburg already handing the fanbase reasons to be excited for the future.
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