Championship club seal transfer as defender quits Tottenham
Thomas Frank is overseeing an overhaul in his first transfer window in charge of Tottenham.
The Dane left Brentford after an impressive seven-year stint in West London, where he guided them to the Premier League and made them mainstays in the top flight.
Spurs decided to sack Ange Postecoglou and bring in Frank as his replacement.
Middlesbrough secure the services of Archie Baptiste
Archie Baptise left Spurs after his contract expired on 30 June.
Since then, he has been a free agent, but it has not taken long for Middlesbrough to snap up his services.
Baptiste was a regular for the Under-18s side in North London, but will not be making a senior appearance for the Lilywhites.
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| U18 Premier League | 51 | 2 | 2 |
| FA Youth Cup | 5 | – | – |
| UEFA Youth League | 4 | – | – |
| Premier League 2 | 3 | – | – |
The teenager even made three appearances for Tottenham in Premier League 2, showcasing his ability to perform at that level.
Boro have handed him a senior contract, but he will begin to work with the Under-21s in order to get a shot at senior football.
Tottenham made the right call to release Baptiste
Tottenham made the right decision in releasing Baptiste, as the 19-year-old centre-back never demonstrated the readiness to break into the first team.
Despite 51 appearances in the U-18 Premier League, Baptiste’s limited impact in higher-level competitions like Premier League 2 and his lack of physicality or standout defensive traits exposed his gap to senior football.
Spurs’ youth recruitment, with talents like Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, sets a high bar, prioritising players who can quickly adapt to the Premier League’s intensity.
Keeping Baptiste would have cluttered the pathway for prospects who show greater potential.
By releasing him, Tottenham can focus resources on developing or signing players better suited to Frank’s system, ensuring their academy remains a pipeline for elite, first-team-ready talent.
Sign up for the daily Tottenham News newsletter on Substack and our new WhatsApp channel to have all the latest, breaking Tottenham Hotspur news sent straight to your phone.