Lucá Williams-Barnett ‘frustrated’ at Tottenham after Saturday development
Lucá Williams-Barnett has every right to be frustrated after what happened to the Tottenham Under-18s on Saturday.
Ange Postecoglou and Spurs supporters have plenty of young talents to be excited by in North London.
Mikey Moore is the obvious one, with the 17-year-old making a big impact on the first-team this season.
Meanwhile, Spurs have a host of players shining on loan, such as Jamie Donley, Josh Keeley and George Abbott. However, perhaps a more exciting prospect than all of these players, is Williams-Barnett.
The 16-year-old has stood out for Spurs and England this season, scoring countless goals and wowing with his eye-catching displays. However, the young forward is likely to be frustrated after a recent Under-18 development.
Tottenham Under-18s beaten by Southampton Under-18s
Spurs’ Under-18s lost their fifth Under-18 Premier League match of the season on 1 March as they were beaten 4-2 by Southampton’s Under-18s at Hotspur Way.
Williams-Barnett found the back of the net once again in league action to double Spurs’ lead after Tynan Thompson had put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot. However, the North London outfit capitulated, conceding four times without reply to suffer yet another disappointing defeat.
| Luca Williams-Barnett 2024/25 | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Under-18 Premier League | 12 | 14 | 5 |
| FA Youth Cup | 3 | 1 | 3 |
It marked the Under-18s’ third defeat on the spin in all competitions, which will no doubt frustrate Williams-Barnett, who continues to deliver despite his side’s struggles.
He will no doubt feel as though his contributions are being wasted at times, and Postecoglou needs to prove to the youngster that there is a pathway for him at Spurs before he becomes unhappy.
Tottenham need to keep hold of Williams-Barnett
Williams-Barnett is still a schoolboy player, which means he isn’t committed to Spurs long-term. Therefore, when the decision comes to commit his future to the club, Tottenham need to make sure the academy gem picks them.
Based on his form, he won’t have a shortage of offers. As a result, just because he is at the club at the moment, it doesn’t mean he will remain there.
Continually losing with the Under-18s isn’t going to prove to Williams-Barnett that there is a future for him with Spurs. Therefore, with that in mind, Postecoglou needs to consider handing the England youth international first-team chances, or at least promote him to play with the Under-21s.
That way, when the time does come to sign a contract, Williams-Barnett will have some more positive thoughts in his mind about a future with Spurs.