Perhaps the biggest triumph of Ange Postecoglou's tenure at Tottenham Hotspur so far is implementing the entertaining football that was nowhere to be seen last term.
Harry Kane might have scored 30 Premier League goals as he leapfrogged Wayne Rooney into second in the all-time scoring charts, but it was a one-man show for much of the campaign and Antonio Conte's dismissal in March – Daniel Levy's fourth managerial sacking in as many years – spoke of the decline that threatened everything.
To put things into context, while there have been grumblings that Spurs are marred by inconsistency (they are) and Aston Villa's fine form could prove to be too much for Tottenham in their top four (maybe, maybe not) there is evidence of progress after last year's eighth-placed finish.
In time, Postecoglou's project will hopefully soar to new heights, and while nothing in football is certain the Australian manager has implemented a discernable, attractive identity that has married into a shrewd, thought-out recruitment strategy.
While this hasn't always been the case, certainly not in recent memory, Tottenham have welcomed the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario and Brennan Johnson – and more – since the summer to form a new-look promising side.
Moreover, the club arguably boasts the finest youth institution in the country right now, with the U21s top of the Premier League 2 and so much quality flooding in.
Spurs may have their biggest prospect since Kane in “complete” youngster
The youngster has already scored in the Premier League.
ByTom LeverMar 6, 2024
For all that talent, it would be quite the feat if someone were to surpass a player of Dele Alli's calibre, but that might just be the case given some of the prospects' performances.
Dele Alli's Spurs beginnings
Dele is unquestionably one of the finest youngsters to make their mark in the Premier League. Ever. Signing for Tottenham from MK Dons for around £5m back in 2015, opting for the north London club over suitors such as Liverpool and Newcastle United, the 27-year-old played a key role in a formidable Tottenham attack under Mauricio Pochettino's leadership.
GK – Hugo Lloris
RB – Kyle Walker
CB – Toby Alderweireld
CB – Jan Vertonghen
LB – Ben Davies
CM – Eric Dier
CM – Ryan Mason
CAM – Dele Alli
RW – Heung-min Son
LW – Nacer Chadli
ST – Harry Kane
Clinical, confident and creative, Dele thrived in the shadow of centre-forward Kane, playing off his Three Lions teammate to combine for some sumptuous play, praising the "perfect deliveries" he received during the balmy days of Pochettino's tenure.
The Argentine manager, now in the Chelsea dugout, was only too happy to provide Dele with a platform, gushing over his lofty potential: "If he is not the best young player in Europe, he’s one of the best. Look at his age and his statistics, the potential is massive."
Alas, the table below depicts a sombre tale, one of a bleak decline that is a by-product of mental health issues and a turbulent upbringing that the player himself revealed to Gary Neville on The Overlap in a heartbreaking and candid interview in 2023.
23/24
0
0
0
22/23
2
0
0
21/22
10
1
0
20/21
15
0
1
19/20
25
8
4
18/19
25
5
3
17/18
36
9
11
16/17
37
18
9
15/16
33
10
9
While the past few years have been torrid, Dele will forever be remembered for his unbelievable introduction to life in the Premier League, leaving defenders eating dust and defying the odds with the constancy of his output.
Jaw-dropping strikes, expertly-timed headers, innate movement into dangerous positions, Dele had it all and while Tottenham are currently nurturing a collective crop of youngsters beyond anything the club has seen in a long time, it would take some player to overtake the now-Everton player.
Well, that ace might just materialise in the form of Lucas Bergvall, who will join the fold during the summer.
Why Lucas Bergvall is Spurs' biggest talent
Interestingly, Tottenham purchased Bergvall from Djurgårdens IF in the January transfer window and loaned him back to his current club for the remainder of the campaign, much the same as when Dele made the move from League One.
Hijacking Barcelona's deal for the Sweden international, 18 years old at the time, Levy engineered a real statement of intent in completing the transfer for a fee approaching £8.5m, with Bergvall endowed with the talent to succeed at the highest level for many years to come.
Described as a "generational" talent by one scout, Bergvall is a rangy centre-midfielder with natural press resistance, impressive strength and vision that will leave Spurs' forwards salivating.
His former coach, Andreas Engelmark, has waxed lyrical over his potential and believes the all-action skill set sets him in good stead to succeed: "In terms of his skillset, he’s good with the ball. He’s a good passer, he can drive with the ball. He’s pretty complete in that way. He has the physicality to be a good ball-winner as well but I think that’s something he needs to be more consistent with to take his game to the next level.
“I think his best position is as a No 8 and we will see in the next few years if he sticks with that position or is going to become more of a 6.”
It's a risky game to anoint a talented teenager as a prodigy before they've even stepped foot on a Premier League pitch but there's an understanding and belief that Bergvall, guided aptly, could have the making of a leading figure in Postecoglou's first-team.
Why Bergvall is a dream for Richarlison
The fact that Bergvall is still malleable enough, in a positive sense, to be shaped and wrought into a star fit for purpose at the heart of Postecoglou's engine room is only a good thing, and his intelligence and determination to succeed suggests that he will absorb the Australian's style as he works to make an impression.
As per Sofascore, he has completed 88% of his passes in the Allsvenskan this season while succeeding with 68% of his dribbles, scoring two goals and supplying one assist from 11 starting appearances.
His gliding gait and precision in driving into the danger area make for the perfect player to play off Richarlison, much like Dele behind Kane way back when, and given that the Brazilian frontman has been in scintillating form for Tottenham recently, scoring nine goals from his past ten Premier League fixtures, Bergvall could indeed be the player to maintain this efficiency.
Of course, Richarlison, aged 26, is hardly suffering from a lack of playmakers in midfield, with the elite Maddison flanked by Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son, but Bergvall is a unique player with a singular identity on the field – there's a reason that Barcelona held such a vested interest in securing his services.
As per FBref, Richarlison ranks among the top 6% of centre-forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, and that's despite alternating between the left wing and the striking role.
Bergvall will drive, surge, penetrate. He will pull defenders from their sentinels in the rearguard like a sprinting lightbulb attracting moths, allowing the ever-present-in-the-box Richarlison to find space and unleash, and score.
Postecoglou is cooking something at Tottenham, and the parties barely started; Bergvall is the elite talent who could elevate the squad to new heights. Finally.
