Gray and the future Spurs XI Postecoglou is quietly building behind the scenes

Tottenham are very much planning for the years ahead when it comes to their transfer deals. Archie Gray became the club’s latest addition for the 2024/25 season and beyond on Tuesday after completing his move from Championship side Leeds United.

The 18-year-old cost Spurs just over £25million plus Joe Rodon heading in the opposite direction in a package worth around £40million, which then met the threshold for a clause within Gray’s contract after Leeds failed to win promotion last season. After swapping Leeds for the Lilywhites, the Durham-born ace has penned a contract at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until the summer of 2030.

The signing of Gray could prove to be a masterstroke by the football club after the versatile player took England’s second tier by storm last season to earn the Championship’s Young Player of the Season award. The most exciting thing about Gray is that there is still so much more to come from him, with Tottenham now set to benefit in the years ahead after luring him to N17 from Elland Road.

Gray joins Lucas Bergvall and Timo Werner in bolstering Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham squad ahead of the new campaign. Bergvall’s move to the capital was confirmed at the beginning of February after Spurs won the race for his signature amid interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.

Like Gray, the Swede penned a long-term contract following his move to the club and his deal is due to expire at the end of the 2028/29 season. Tottenham are quietly building a rather impressive young team and the hope is that Gray and Bergvall will be influential figures in the XI for years to come.

The 2023/24 campaign was very much a breakout year for Pape Matar Sarr in the Premier League. Signed by former managing director of football Fabio Paratici in 2021, the Italian lauded the midfielder as “one of the most talented in Europe” at the time of his arrival.

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Playing in Antonio Conte’s Spurs XI on a handful of occasions, including an incredible Champions League debut against AC Milan in the San Siro, the 21-year-old has become a permanent fixture in Postecoglou’s Spurs XI after delivering some huge performances that belie his tender years. The same goes for 2022 arrival Destiny Udogie.

After immediately returning to Udinese on loan following his Tottenham transfer, the Italian linked up with his Spurs teammates for the first time 12 months ago and immediately hit the ground running. Winning his first Italy cap as a result of his sparkling displays in the Premier League, Tottenham fans could potentially see even more from the youngster this coming season with a year’s worth of top-flight experience now under his belt.

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Tottenham were very much targeting players for the future in Postecoglou’s first transfer window as Spurs boss, duly signing Ashley Phillips, Micky van de Ven, Alejo Veliz and Brennan Johnson in the summer window. While Phillips has yet to make his senior bow for the club but impressed in his time on loan at Plymouth Argyle, Van de Ven already appears to be one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs following a fine first season in the capital.

Johnson initially had a slow start to his Tottenham career but he really turned it on come the turn of the year. There is still so much more to come from the 23-year-old, with his 15 goal involvements in 32 Premier League games for Spurs certainly a sign of things to come. Veliz was also a summer arrival at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 12 months ago after joining from Rosario Central in Argentina.

Very much another one for the future as he will only turn 21 in September, the powerful striker had to make do with minutes off the bench in his debut year at the club prior to his Sevilla loan switch but he did find the net in the 4-2 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in December. Young Croatian centre-back Luka Vuskovic was another 2023 addition, joining from Hajduk Split for a fee of £12million on a deal until the summer of 2030.

Signed as a 16-year-old, it won’t be until 2025 when he can arrive in England when he is 18 years of age due to FIFA rules. Vuskovic spent the second half of last campaign on loan in Poland with Radomiak Radom and it proved to be a deal that suited all parties.

Showcasing that he is first and foremost a very talented centre-back, the starlet also proved that he can have an influence on proceedings at the other end of the pitch after chipping in with three goals and one assist. Vuskovic will spend the 2024/25 season out on loan once again and Tottenham do appear to have a gem on their hands in the Croat.

Staying in defence, Tottenham also have Radu Dragusin tied down to the summer of 2030 after he dismissed Bayern Munich’s interest to join Spurs from Genoa in January. The 22-year-old was limited to nine appearances for the Lilywhites last season due to the form of Cristian Romero and Van de Ven but he demonstrated in his starts against Luton Town, Man City and Sheffield United that he is a very talented player.

Dragusin has done likewise at Euro 2024 this summer with Romania. The ex-Juventus man will now be looking to build on an impressive tournament with his country by forcing his way into the Tottenham XI and showcasing why Postecoglou was so keen to lure him to north London.

Tottenham fans will certainly be hopeful of seeing more of academy stars Tyrese Hall and Mikey Moore in the 2024/25 campaign. football.london understands that Postecoglou has taken a real liking to the duo in particular, with Hall impressing off the bench in the post-season friendly against Newcastle United and 16-year-old Moore going on to feature in the Man City and Sheffield United fixtures at the end of the term.

The pair will have their fingers crossed that more minutes come their way in pre-season and that they go on to play a part for the head coach next term with plenty of games already on the calendar. It remains to be seen where Jamie Donley will be playing his football next season after a sublime year that saw him register goals and assists for fun for the development squad.

Going on to make three appearances for Postecoglou’s team, Donley is now in a position where he needs to be playing regular first-team football on a consistent basis to help aid his development. A loan move may well happen ahead of the summer transfer deadline but one thing for certain is that Tottenham have a very special player on their hands.

Will Lankshear was also amongst the goals last season, hitting 32 in all competitions as he played an integral role in the Under-21s lifting the Premier League 2 play-off final trophy. Like Donley, a loan move could be next for the prolific goalscorer before he hopefully goes on to make his mark in the Spurs first team.

Goalkeeper Josh Keeley, signed from St Patrick’s Athletic in July 2022, is another talented star in the ranks along with players such as George Abbott, Tyrell Ashcroft, Alfie Dorrington, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Yago Santiago to name a few. There is then also Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett to consider, two players who have seemingly made a big impression on Postecoglou.

Troy Parrott is back at the club this summer after a fine season in the Eredivisie with Excelsior Rotterdam. However, his future remains up in the air at present due to his contract status and also plenty of interest in his services after more than making his case in the Netherlands.

Appearing to make some very smart investments over the past few years, Tottenham could be about to do the same in what remains of the 2024 summer transfer window. Postecoglou and the club are very much going about their business quietly behind the scenes when it comes to signing players that can form a team for years to come.

Add to the mix those really exciting youngsters currently coming through the academy at present, Tottenham supporters have plenty to look forward to over the coming years.

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