Tottenham ready to promote ‘powerful’ Under-18s star Archie Chaplin
Tottenham Under-18 defender Archie Chaplin will be promoted to the Under-21s after Brooklyn Lyons-Foster left the club, according to John Wenham.
Spurs announced on Wednesday 14 February that 23-year-old centre-back Lyons-Foster had joined Finnish side HJK Helsinki.
Lyons-Foster had played all 11 games in the Premier League 2 this season before his departure, captaining the Under-21s on multiple occasions with Wayne Burnett’s side sitting top of the pile with a 100 per cent record in the competition.
As a result of his departure, a player will need to step up and take his place, and Wenham believes the club have an Under-18 player ready to make that leap.
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Wenham said: “Lyons-Foster’s departure really opens the door for some of the Under-18 centre-backs to play up a level.
“I expect Chaplin, who’s the captain of the Under-18s currently, to be the real beneficiary of this. I believe he will now feature with the Under-21s until the end of the season, and cement himself at that level ahead of next year.
“He’s a quick, powerful centerback and I’ve been impressed by his progress over the last couple of years.
“As a schoolboy player, he was featuring with the Under-18s a couple of seasons ago so he is no stranger to taking a step up.”
Tottenham academy continues to thrive
It demonstrates the strength of the academy that Spurs can let one Under-21 regular go and already have a younger player ready to make the step up.
Chaplin has been a key player for the Under-18s this season, starting all three FA Youth Cup matches and 12 of the club’s Under-18 Premier League South fixtures.
Moving into the Under-21s will give the 18-year-old a real opportunity to put himself on Ange Postecoglou’s radar.
With talented young Spurs centre-backs such as Alfie Dorrington and Ashley Phillips already thriving, it will be exciting for Tottenham fans to see that another name has now cropped up.
In other Tottenham news, it is only a matter of time until the club completes a “really exciting” transfer.
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