Tottenham Hotspur's top 5 academy graduates
Although it’s not as well renowned as other academies in football such as those of Barcelona and Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur’s youth system has still produced some great players over the years, with a number going onto major success in the Premier League and on the international scene.
Under boss Mauricio Pochettino, in particular, Spurs became renowned for a willingness to use young talent – and only time will tell whether the likes of Oliver Skipp, Kyle Walker-Peters and Troy Parrott go on to match the success of some of their predecessors.
Here are Tottenham’s 5 best academy graduates.
#5 Harry Winks
Still just 23 years old, midfielder Harry Winks is one of the best young talents to emerge into the Premier League from any team’s academy in some time. A lifelong Tottenham fan, the England international joined the academy at White Hart Lane at the age of just 6, eventually signing his first professional contract with the club in 2014 as an 18-year-old.
He made his first-team debut a handful of months later, but it wasn’t until the 2016-17 season that he really established himself as a first-team regular under Mauricio Pochettino. Injuries have curtailed Winks to less appearances than he might’ve otherwise managed since, but it’s clear by watching him that Spurs are a far better side with the midfielder involved, and he’s now embedded himself into England’s first team too.
Over his four seasons in the Premier League, Winks has made a total of 79 appearances, and impressively, he’s been able to keep a pass success rating of over 90% throughout that time, earning him comparisons to world greats like Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Luka Modric.
A rarity in English football thanks to his ability to retain possession for his side, perhaps the best thing about the midfielder is that we clearly haven’t seen him reach his prime yet.