Tottenham: Ligue 1 loan deal mooted for Alfie Devine as youth easy-fix emerges

Tottenham must ensure they don't waste the potential of Alfie Devine considering their previous difficulties helping youth stars transition to the first-team picture in North London.

Harry Kane aside, it is hard to think of a young player who has climbed through the ranks at Tottenham and made a real impact at the club over the past decade.

The likes of Harry Winks and Kyle Walker-Peters were eventually deemed surplus to requirements after promising starts, while Oliver Skipp is yet to really establish himself under Ange Postecoglou.

Japhet Tanganga meanwhile looked set to be the next big thing defensively in North London, but is now playing his football on loan in the Championship with Millwall.

Bringing through youth players has been an obvious problem in N17, but when it comes to Devine, Tottenham must ensure they get it right.

And a coach with plenty of experience with academy players has shared what steps should be next for the 19-year-old to ensure he fulfils his potential.

Ange Postecoglou must ensure he keeps a close eye on Alfie Devine at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Harry Brooks is a coach and mentor for professional footballers and academy players with more than 10 years of experience.

The Spurs fan was running a Q&A session via his official X account (2 April) and was asked how Tottenham fix their youth issue, responding, "Be way better at finding creative loans.

"Alfie Devine should be in the Eredivisie or Ligue 1, Bundesliga 2 perhaps. Help them build that experience in a proper way.

"And the ones that are in the building, don’t block their pathway with players who aren’t as good. Simple as".

It is very hard to disagree with Brooks.

Devine is a player full of potential, as he demonstrated during the first half of the season with Port Vale.

He was recalled and sent to play his football in the Championship with Plymouth Argyle, and although the midfielder is getting regular playing time, it is not in the most stable environment.

Devine should be playing in a team where he is offered more creative freedom, to really allow him to develop his skillset.

Plymouth are struggling at the wrong end of the Championship table, and Devine is playing in an environment very dissimilar to that at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A top loan next season should be on the cards for the midfielder, and Spurs would be wise to take Brooks' recommendation to ensure they don't let another gem slip through their hands.

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