Why Harry Byrne is the next Tottenham academy star to look out for

Harry Byrne should be a name that Tottenham supporters keep their eyes on.

The Irish midfielder joined Spurs at the age of seven, and signed a professional contract in May 2025.

He has gone from strength to strength in the academy, and looks ready for a breakthrough.

Byrne was on the pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand, so supporters have already had a glimpse of him.

They may be primed to see more of him in the near future if he continues his current form.

His showing in the 2-0 loss to Exeter in the EFL Trophy gives hope that he can thrive in Roberto De Zerbi's side.

How did Harry Byrne perform vs Exeter?

Bryne was one of the standout players alongside Malachi Hardy, despite the negative result.

He managed a 88 per cent pass accuracy, with a 71 per cent accuracy from long passes, according to FotMob data.

Byrne had a lot of the ball, with 78 touches, and made good use of it, with 13 passes into the final third.

He also managed four defensive contributions, with one tackle, three clearances and a further three recoveries.

Byrne managed to win four of eight ground duel wins, for a 50 per cent success rate in an impressive showing against senior opposition.

Who can Byrne take inspiration from at Tottenham?

Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall have both emerged as young options for Spurs in recent years, and Byrne will hope to have a similar rise.

The former has made 84 appearances for the first team, and been named as fifth-choice in the leadership group.

The latter has made 80 appearances and has just signed a new contract to remain in N17, after plenty of speculation in the transfer window.

Byrne is versatile like Gray, as he can play left-back and central midfield, featuring a total of 43 times for the Under-18s.

He has also featured seven times in the UEFA Youth League and seven times for the Under-21 side, both in defence and in the middle of the park.

The next step will be to find him a loan move or integrate him into the senior squad, whatever De Zerbi decides is best for him.