With back-to-back wins in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have enjoyed a period of respite within a gruelling and injury-hit campaign.
Ange Postecoglou‘s worries are far from over. Even after defeating Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, Spurs remain in the bottom half of the table, 12th and 14 points behind fourth-place Manchester City.
Out of the Carabao Cup, out of the FA Cup, into the last 16 of the Europa League. Tottenham may yet strike gold before the summer, but looking at it with a wider lens, there have been a few bright sparks that may have quite the impact over the coming years.
Spurs’ bright sparks this season
Djed Spence was handed Tottenham’s Man of the Match after the recent victory over Man United, proving not to be a flash in the pan but a highly gifted player with the ability to play a long-term role in Postecoglou’s squad.
While Spence is 24, his rocky road travelled over the past several campaigns shows that he is one of the biggest bright sparks. However, Tottenham’s rich youth crop bespeaks a prosperous future with Postecoglou at the helm.
Mikey Moore has been excellent, with the 17-year-old enjoying opportunities in place of injured seniors and scoring his first professional goal as Tottenham beat Elfsborg in the Europa League while playing seven top-flight games and threading an assist through for Richarlison’s late consolation goal during last month’s defeat to Everton.
In defence, Archie Gray deserves plenty of praise for regularly playing out of position in central defence in recent months as Ange sought to fix defensive deficiencies, but there’s one man above all others who looks like they might be the jewel in the Tottenham crown.
Spurs’ most exciting talent
If Postecoglou is able to shape the club’s talent into something concrete at the highest level, fans may look back at the 2024/25 campaign with fondness, the springboard from which future heights were reached.
Leading this new order: Lucas Bergvall. The Swedish midfielder arrived in north London for a €10m (£8m) fee plus add-ons on January deadline day 2024, leaving Swedish side Djurgårdens IF. Barcelona were homing in on the teenager, but Spurs canvassed their proposal and bagged their man.
He’s slick and stylish in the middle of the park with a cheeky on-field personality, endowed with strength and technical quality that suggest he could rival the best midfielders that Europe has to offer in a few years.
In fact, he might even prove to be Postecoglou’s own version of Ryan Gravenberch in a few years, for he is of a similar profile to the Liverpool star, as per FBref. Gravenberch has been described as “absolutely world-class” in Arne Slot’s system by one data analyst.
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Prem 24/25 – Ryan Gravenberch vs Lucas Bergvall |
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|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90) |
||
|
Goals |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Assists |
0.08 |
0.00 |
|
Shot-creating actions |
2.02 |
1.48 |
|
Touches |
67.74 |
74.82 |
|
Pass completion |
89.4% |
89.2% |
|
Passes attempted |
56.49 |
62.06 |
|
Progressive passes |
5.35 |
4.30 |
|
Progressive carries |
2.07 |
2.15 |
|
Ball recoveries |
5.48 |
6.45 |
|
Tackles + interceptions |
3.84 |
4.84 |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
The players’ contrasted statistics from the current campaign really do make for exciting reading. Bergvall mirrors many of the Netherlands star’s metrics, has showcased similar strengths in ball-playing and -carrying while also demonstrating a combative side to his arsenal.
Gravenberch is only 22 but Bergvall is much younger still at 19, and with the former’s market value skyrocketing to £82m over the past year, according to CIES Football Observatory, you could say that Bergvall has the capacity to hit such a level too, especially as he’s earning invaluable Premier League experience at this young and inexperienced point in his career.
With 32 senior Spurs caps, one goal and three assists to his name, Bergvall has the world at his feet, especially with The Athletic analyst JJ Bull stating that he “has a first touch like [Luka] Modric.”
Sky Sports commentator Rob Hawthorne noted the “incredible” time to score his first goal for Tottenham, and while Liverpool prevailed in the end, this is some player alright.
Gravenberch might be the talk of the town but here Spurs have an elite-level superstar in the making.
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Tottenham defeated Man United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
