Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur have shifted their recruitment focus to landing young talents who can develop and become key members of the first-team squad.
Lucas Bergvall joined the Lilywhites in a £8.5m deal from Djurgarden as an 18-year-old, but has been catapulted into the deep end due to the injury crisis endured throughout 2024/25.
The Swede has since racked up over 50 appearances for the club, arguably being one of their most important players – as seen by his goal against West Ham United last weekend.
He’s also been joined in the squad by Xavi Simons over recent weeks, after the Dutchman completed his own £52m transfer to North London in an attempt to further reinforce Thomas Frank’s ranks.
At just 22, he’s already a somewhat experienced option, racking up over 160 senior appearances, but still having the potential to grow into an elite-level talent in the near future.
Both players will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of one player who made a huge impact at the club over a short period of time, subsequently capturing the hearts of the fanbase.
Dele Alli’s time at Tottenham Hotspur
Dele Alli was seen as a youngster with huge talent at Spurs, but despite his early success at the club, he struggled to maintain his top-level performances.
The Englishman joined the Lilywhites in a £5m deal from MK Dons back in the summer of 2015, taking the Premier League by storm in his first couple of seasons.
He managed to register 46 goals and 35 appearances in his first 146 appearances for the club, with his first best spell in the capital coming early on in his stint.
Such form allowed the attacking midfielder to claim the PFA Young Player of the Year award twice, but his time with the Lilywhites would rapidly deteriorate over the following years.
José Mourinho’s appointment as boss saw the former Chelsea man question the players’ work ethic, which resulted in the star often being in minutes off the bench to make any form of impact.
Attitude issues also floated beneath the surface, before leaving on a free transfer to join Everton in January 2022 – bringing a sad end to what was once a promising start to his career at the club.
Other off-the-field issues have since reared their head, with the player now without a club after being released by Como at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
The player who is Frank’s own version of Alli
Given the huge investment into the first-team squad over recent years, it’s no surprise to see current boss Frank being the beneficiary of the talent currently on the books of Spurs.
The likes of Bergvall and Simons currently provide the goods within the midfield department, with such an area set for many years to come, given their tender ages.
Such a duo will likely hold the keys to any future success during the Dane’s tenure – especially if the first couple of games in the current season are anything to go by.
Djed Spence is another player who could play a huge part in the first-team squad, enduring a rapid rise to stardom in North London as a result of their recent injury crisis.
After three unsuccessful loan spells with Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, it appeared as though his career with the Lilywhites would be over – but he’s since secured his place in the first-team squad.
Such a crisis in Ange Postecoglou’s side last year led to the 25-year-old getting a regular role in the first-team squad – racking up a total of 35 appearances across all competitions.
Frank’s arrival has only strengthened the full-back’s grip on a starting role, being named as a starter in each of the Dane’s five competitive games in the Premier League and Champions League.
While he operates in a different role to former fan-favourite Alli, Spence, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, does possess some similarities to those of his compatriot.
Both joined the Lilywhites from EFL clubs, after the full-back joined from Middlesbrough, but also had question marks around their attitudes as the years have gone by.
Games played
25
Goals & assists
3
Progressive carries
3.1
Progressive passes
5.3
Tackles won
2.4
Interceptions made
1.1
Aerials won
1.1
Aerial success rate
60%
The 25-year-old has been known to have had a feud with former boss Neil Warnock, with the player himself previously posting messages directed to his former boss on social media.
However, the biggest underlying comparison is the natural talent the duo have shown in the Spurs first team, helping them achieve all sorts of achievements along the way.
Whilst Dele failed to maintain his early success, Spence will be hoping he can go one better and play a vital role in Frank’s hunt to bring more trophies to North London in the near future.
