Al-Ittifaq plot shock loan swoop for Tottenham kid Alfie Devine
Tottenham Hotspur have an abundance of young talents in their ranks—both in the academy and first team.
To foster their development and unlock true potential in the future, the Lilywhites have done a fine job by either loaning them out or moving them on permanently. By doing so, we have secured the immediate future of several highly-rated academy stars.
One such academy talent who has been linked with a move from Tottenham this summer is Alfie Devine. According to GIVEMESPORT reporter Ben Jacobs, Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittifaq are interested in a loan move for Alfie Devine.
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“Even though I don’t think it’s gonna lead to anything, Al-Ittifaq, Steven Gerrard’s club are the other team that have him on their radar. They are looking to fill at the moment their Under-21 quota,” Ben Jacobs said on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel.
Alfie Devine joined the Tottenham academy in 2020 and turned professional under former boss Nuno Espirito Santo, signing a three-year contract at the age of 17. The England under-20 international has performed well in our academy but is yet to break into the first team.
The central midfielder spent the first half of last season on loan to Port Vale in League One, where he scored three goals and registered as many assists in 26 appearances across all competitions. Devine returned to Spurs in January and was then farmed out on loan to Championship side Plymouth Argyle. The youngster made nine starts and six appearances off the bench, as Plymouth Argyle narrowly escaped relegation.
Spurs terminating his loan spell at Port Vale and sending him straight back out on loan to Plymouth in January but in the Championship—a division
higher—was a testament to his skill set and development. After doing reasonably well in a poor Plymouth side, Devine was involved in Tottenham’s pre-season tour of Asia last month.
While he did well in pre season when given opportunities by Big Ange, it was always difficult for the young Englishman to break into the first team this season. Thus, it is better served for him to go out on loan to a Championship side and continue his development from where he left last season. Joining a mid-table Championship club would be ideal for our academy kid as it will give him opportunities to play regularly and gain more experience under his belt.
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That being said, Spurs must in no way allow a talent like Devine to go to Saudi Arabia on loan this summer as it isn’t the right territory for him to hone his skills and grow as a footballer.
