West Ham pounce to sign Tottenham winger as new contract development revealed
Christian Lila has joined London rivals West Ham as he looks to fast-track his development away from Tottenham.
Despite Tottenham’s struggles in the Premier League under Thomas Frank, they have successfully executed their plans to develop their talent abroad.
With seven players under 21 out on loan, Tottenham have a concrete plan to get the best out of their young players by giving them game time elsewhere.
In the younger age groups, the likes of Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear have shown what it takes to emerge through the ranks with ease.
However, Tottenham will have to accept that Lila won’t be one of those after being offered and accepting a scholarship by West Ham.
Christian Lila moves to West Ham for scholarship opportunity
The young winger made his debut for Albania under-16s in June and had enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks at Tottenham.
Playing under manager Tom Hart, Lila has opted for a move to East London instead, where he will sign scholarship terms.
He is not the only young star to leave the youth setup in recent weeks, following the footsteps of Daniel Ologho and Callum Stewart.
Both players have moved to Ipswich, with Ologho already featuring for their under-18 side.
If Tottenham are willing to let Lila and other youngsters leave, it surely means they have a plan in place for the stars that are coming through in the near future.
Tottenham have clear plans for each of its young talents
Luka Vuskovic is flourishing on loan at Hamburg, and a clear pathway was planned out for him since he was bought in 2023.
Another young centre-back who is getting experience out on loan is Ashley Phillips, who is at Stoke City for a second successive year.
Below is a list of Spurs players aged 21 or under who have been sent out on loan:
- Ashley Phillips – Stoke
- Mikey Moore – Rangers
- Alfie Devine – Preston
- Min-hyeok Yang – Portsmouth
- Alejo Veliz – Rosario Central
- Luka Vuskovic – Hamburg
- Will Lankshear – Oxford United
As Spurs oversee the development of their young talents, they are also adapting their transfer strategy, seen through the permanent signing of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich and the addition of Kota Takai.
With some stars leaving at a young age, supporters won’t be too worried about their potential in the future, given Tottenham’s plan to bring through the best stars.
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