De Zerbi could end Tel’s Spurs career by unleashing 17-year-old sensation

There has, and understandably so, been a fair amount of concern and controversy regarding Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur, not least the fact that the Italian failed to win any of his first five Premier League games in charge at Brighton and Hove Albion.

A repeat of that slow start would be catastrophic considering Spurs’ current relegation plight, yet looking to the positives, the 46-year-old could represent the perfect coach to nurture the club’s exciting crop of youngsters.

Back at Brighton, for instance, De Zerbi was at the helm for Moises Caicedo’s first full season of Premier League football in 2022/23, having also helped oversee the rise of one-time wonderkid, Evan Ferguson, with the Irishman scoring 15 times in 60 games under his watch.

As Seagulls youth coach Shannon Ruth said at the time, “[De Zerbi] is keen to promote from within, with age no barrier for him”. That should be music to the ears of those in north London.

The Spurs academy stars who could flourish under De Zerbi

Looking to next season, there will be a crop of academy products returning to N17 following fruitful loan spells, with De Zerbi likely to take a look at those rising stars this summer.

It was reported on Tuesday that promising striker, Will Lankshear, is likely to be retained after scoring nine times in the Championship this season, albeit with that inclusion set to hinge on whether or not Spurs beat the drop.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, the next Harry Kane in waiting, Mikey Moore, has already spoken of his desire to return to the club at the end of his fruitful spell at Rangers, having scored six Premiership goals as part of the Glasgow side’s promotion push.

As for those currently in north London, hopes are high for the teenage striker duo of James Wilson and Mason Melia, the pair having arrived from Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, respectively, in January.

Those two forwards are waiting for their chance at senior level, although minutes have been afforded to the likes of James Rowswell and Jun’ai Byfield in recent weeks, as well as midfield sensation, Callum Olusesi.

Considering the raft of injuries facing De Zerbi, as well as the likes of Igor Tudor, Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou before him, the youth ranks could well be the solution, not least with the senior figures struggling to perform as of late.

One key area that the Italian maverick might look to address is on the left flank, with Heung-min Son’s sizeable void yet to be filled.

Spurs could replace Tel with “one of England’s best talents”

With Brennan Johnson sold, Wilson Odobert sidelined with an ACL injury, and Mohammed Kudus only just inching his way back to fitness, a continued issue has been the lack of depth on the flanks.

That has seen 20-year-old Mathys Tel deployed as a left-winger of late, although the Frenchman hasn’t exactly flourished, despite putting in a positive display in the 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Tel got the assist for compatriot Randal Kolo Muani’s opener that day, yet in all competitions this season in total, he has just four goal involvements to his name, hardly impressive reading from 31 outings.

If De Zerbi is to look for a suitable replacement for the ex-Bayern Munich man, both in the short-term and the long-term, then he could well hand a permanent promotion to highly-rated academy starlet, Luca Willams-Barnett, the 17-year-old restricted to just one senior outing so far this season.

That limited involvement has been impacted by the teenager’s own recent injury woes, yet there is a sense that he should well have been utilised even prior to that, having been hailed as “one of England’s best talents at youth level” by analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson.

Tipped to be Spurs’ answer to Arsenal superstar, Max Dowman – in the view of Mattinson – Williams-Barnett has ripped it up at academy level over recent years, operating primarily as a number ten or off the flanks too.

In just 32 games for the U18 side, as per Transfermarkt, the Luton-born speedster has racked up 37 goals and assists thus far, while his 11 games at U21 level have resulted in 13 goal involvements.

That includes 11 goals and assists in just ten games in this season’s Premier League 2, further indicating why a step up could now be needed, be it this season or into 2026/27.

Perhaps Spurs might well prefer a loan move, in the mould of Moore, yet considering De Zerbi’s prior work with youngsters, it should offer hope to Williams-Barnett making an immediate impact at first-team level.

Tel, while perhaps a natural centre-forward by trade, just isn’t quite cutting it on that left side, ensuring the role is there to be taken by Williams-Barnett, after he debuted in that berth against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.

After the success of Kane and co during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure, De Zerbi must again make the academy set-up a focal part of Spurs moving forward.