View: Loan watch for Tottenham duo Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett
Two of the most exciting young stars at Tottenham have been sent out on loan for the 2023/24 season, and the pair are both getting some valuable minutes of EFL football under their belts.
Midfielder Alfie Devine is with League One side Port Vale, while striker Dane Scarlett has linked up with Ipswich Town, who currently sit third in the Championship table after a bright start to the season following promotion last season.
Loan moves can prove crucial in the development of young players – with Spurs’ all-time record goalscorer Harry Kane a massive example of this – yet, for the move to be successful, the player needs to get some game time in order to truly learn the rigours of English football.
And it appears that both Devine and Scarlett are so far getting opportunities to shine on the pitch while spending the season with their temporary clubs.
During only his second appearance for Port Vale, Devine came off the bench away at Oxford United with his side 1-0 down and would go on to provide an assist for the equaliser before scoring a 99th-minute penalty to seal all three points.
This performance clearly impressed management as Devine would go on to start the next two league matches, and performed relatively well throughout. On 16 September, he played 75 minutes of Port Vale’s 1-0 win over Northampton and made three key passes during the match (Sofascore).
He struggled to reach similar levels during the 3-2 defeat at home to Burton on 19 September, seeing less of the ball and giving it away 14 times before being hooked off in the 63rd minute. Nonetheless, while it might not be the swashbuckling performance some Spurs fans might hope for, it still certainly shows signs of promise.
At the age of 19, it is all about Devine just getting on the pitch and soaking up the invaluable experience of first-team football. Doing that for a club such as Port Vale, who are currently third in the league and fighting at the right end of the table, only makes that experience even more important and at this point in time, stats should not be the primary focus for the player or his fans.
Meanwhile, Scarlett has only managed one appearance so far, making his debut for Ipswich during their most recent Championship match, a 1-0 win away at Southampton on 19 September. It was a big win for Ipswich, who have now won six of their seven games in the league this season, and Scarlett was certainly important in helping them get across the line.
Having come on for the final 20 minutes, the young English striker completed 100 per cent of his passes, won a tackle and won one of his two ground duels. Getting some experience in a league as tough as the Championship, where he is facing off with opposition such as Southampton, will only see Scarlett return to Tottenham a more well-rounded player, and hopefully, he will continue to get more time on the pitch.
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