Spurs are assembling a squad of young talent as they prepare to welcome Lucas Bergvall.
Ange Postecoglou expects that Tottenham will become the preferred destination for the world’s greatest young players after Swedish wonder Lucas Bergvall chose to join them over Barcelona.
Bergvall is poised to celebrate his 18th birthday on Friday by signing a five-year contract with Spurs before joining Postecoglou’s first squad at the start of preseason in July.
Spurs also signed Radu Dragusin, 21, over Bayern Munich in January, and in the last 18 months have added Alejo Veliz (20), Pape Sarr and Destiny Udogie (both 21), and Micky van de Ven, 22.
When asked how Spurs encouraged Europe’s top young players to join the club, Postecoglou responded: “I don’t think it’s so much what we’re saying as what people are witnessing. That is the most crucial thing.
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“It’s like anything else in life; you can attempt to sell someone on a vision or anything, but having concrete physical evidence makes it simpler. Anyone who has observed us since I joined will have noticed our desire to be the type of squad we want to be.
“That is not just me stating it; we are actually doing it. OK, we’re not the finished product by any means, but we’re giving young guys a chance: Destiny, Pape, and Micky are all men in their early twenties who have already played key roles.
“So we are forming a squad. From our standpoint, this is encouraging, and we aspire to become a favorite location for talented young athletes.
“I mentioned the other day that there aren’t many hidden jewels around. Everyone knows who the talent is. Hopefully, our point of difference. I’ve always thought that your football was your strongest selling point, beyond all else. Hopefully, we’re demonstrating evidence of what is benefiting us.”
Spurs’ academy also produces several promising players, like Alfie Devine, Alfie Dorrington, Jamie Donley, Mikey Moore, and Will Lankshear.
Donley earned his senior debut this season, but Postecoglou believes Spurs’ academy is not generating players at the same rate as rival teams and hopes to see an improvement.
“I think we’ve got a lot of work to do in our academy and [academy director] Simon Davies is certainly one that is putting a lot of emphasis and priority there,” he was quoted as saying.
“I do not believe we have the same production process as other elite clubs. Even now, we’re investing in some younger players, including for the first team. For us as a football club, that is undoubtedly the way forward.
“My current brief is still very much focused on the first team and developing it, which you can do while giving young players opportunity. If anything I think for sustainable success it’s the greatest way to go because the team grows together when it’s guys of similar ages as long as you’ve got solid experience around them.
“That is what we are doing at the first team level. We still have a lot of work to do at the academy level. We have a wonderful individual in Simon who has worked at some of the greatest academies around and knows what is required. We’ve got some good coaches now. Although this year has been improved, I believe we are still far behind other clubs in terms of developing young players.
“If young players don’t believe there is an opportunity here, we may not attract the best players or provide opportunities for the best ones, so my role in this is to ensure that the good ones we have are given an opportunity.”
“And secondly, other young good young players around the country, not just around the world, see this as a club where if you are talented, you will get an opportunity.”
Spurs face Everton in Saturday’s early kickoff, with Postecoglou welcoming back Sarr after Senegal’s elimination from the African Cup of Nations.
Captain Heung-Min Son is still at the Asian Cup, where his South Korean team will meet Postecoglou’s native Australia in the quarterfinals on Friday.
“It’s kind of a win-win for me,” the Spurs manager explained. “Obviously, as an Australian, I’d like for them to come through so we can get Sonny back. But a part of me wishes Sonny could win the Asian Cup. I understand what it would mean for him and his country.
“That competitiveness is very important to them. And Sonny, given everything he’s done for the game and his country, as unhappy as I would be if Australia were eliminated, I’d like Sonny to go all the way and don’t mind if he misses a few more games for us.”
