Tottenham Hotspur have been known as a club for producing elite talent in recent years, many of whom have gone on to break into the professional game and have significant influence in the first team.
Harry Kane is perhaps the biggest example in recent years, with the Englishman progressing through the academy set-up to cementing his place as the Lilywhites’ starting centre-forward.
He scored a total of 280 goals in his ten years with the North London first team, a record that remains the club’s all-time best.
However, it was not enough to catapult the team to Premier League glory, with their latest manager, Thomas Frank, looking to achieve such a feat in the near future.
His potential success in this role could increase in the coming years, especially if there is a player who can jump similar to Kane during the Dane’s tenure.
Why Williams-Barnett could be Spurs’ future
Spurs fans have had another young player to be excited about in recent months, since the emergence of academy star Luka Williams-Barnett.
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder joined the youth team at U10 level and spent the next seven years in those ranks, with the teenager making a breakthrough in recent months.
He has already made his first-team debut as a substitute in this season’s Carabao Cup match against Doncaster Rovers, but it is his numbers in the youth ranks that are attracting attention.
Williams-Barnett has already contributed an impressive 22 goals in 14 appearances across all competitions, including 15 goals and seven assists.
The youngster featured in the UEFA Youth League match against Slavia Prague on Tuesday night, scoring five goals in the 9-1 win over the Czech side.
After such performances, Frank named the teenager on the first-team substitute bench for last night’s Champions League match, but he did not feature on the pitch.
However, there is no denying that the future is bright for the youngster, who is only 17 years old, and Williams-Barnett is certainly a player who could be a key asset for North London for many years to come.
Spurs star with more talent than Williams Barnett
Despite the academy having produced a number of top-level talents over the years, the division has also invested money in the transfer market to acquire players of the future.
Lukas Bergvall joined the Lilywhites last summer from his native club Djurgarden for a reported £8 million, with many expecting the teenager to initially link up with the youth team.
However, due to a major injury crisis in North London in the 2024/25 season, the Swede took the opportunity to stake his claim and went on to make 45 appearances in all competitions.
Since Frank’s appointment, he has remained a key member of the team, making 19 appearances and scoring his first Premier League goal against West Ham United.
Bergvall is not the only young top talent who could make a big impact in the near future, with centre-back Luka Vusković also a player who could become a first-team regular in the coming years.
The Croatian joined from Hajduk Split in a £12m deal despite only being 16 years old, and his move to the Lilywhites was only confirmed during the recent summer.
The defender, who is now 18 years old, has already made 74 appearances for the first team despite his young age, all of which have come for North London so far.
Such numbers make it clear that he has a better talent than Williams Barnett, especially considering that he is already starring in one of Europe’s top five leagues in the 2025/26 season.
Vusković is currently spending the season on loan at Bundesliga side Hamburg, which has seen the teenager produce notable results at both ends of the pitch.
The youngster, labeled by one analyst as a “natural freak”, has already scored two goals this season, including a stunning scorpion kick against Werder Bremen recently.
However, his basic stats in the defensive third are equally impressive, highlighting why he is already a better talent than Lilywhites star player Williams Barnett.
Vuskovic has been a sensational option in possession this season, as evidenced by his 86% pass completion rate and 100% dribble success rate.
Luka Vusković – Statistics for 2025/26 | |
|---|---|
Statistics (every 90) | tally |
games played | 11 |
Number of points scored | 2 |
Pass accuracy | 86% |
Dribbling completed | 100% |
won a duel | 7.5 |
Duel success rate | 67% |
aerial won | 5.3 |
aerial success | 81% |
recovery has taken place | 4.1 |
Statistics by FotMob | |
Those numbers could make him the perfect ball-playing option in Frank’s system, while also giving him the potential to improve in the future considering his young age.
But the Croatian star is also a force to be reckoned with outside of possession, winning 7.5 of his 90 matches and posting an 81% aerial success rate in Germany’s top flight.
The club invested £12 million in his signature two years ago, with Vuskovic at the heart of defence, who is undoubtedly the long-term solution, and already looks like a bargain.
His direct impact on the professional game has been nothing short of staggering, and his recent performances in Hamburg have already given the fan base reason to look forward to the future.
Fewer touches and only 9 passes than Vicario: Spurs’ flop must drop
Manager Thomas Frank will have to take off one Tottenham Hotspur player following the win over Slavia Prague.
