Tottenham youngster Ashley Phillips joined Stoke City on a season-long loan in August
Tottenham Hotspur have done a smart job by sending some of their academy stars and young talents out on loan to different clubs to gain experience.
Ange Postecoglou wants to nurture young talents, and sensing some of the young talents won’t get much opportunities in the first team to express themselves, he has allowed them to go out on loan, get regular minutes and come back with experience under their bags. He is perfectly aware of which youngsters can break into the first-team squad and which could do well with a loan.
Ashley Phillips is among those young Tottenham players to have gone out on loan in the summer. The teenager has been with Spurs since August 2023 after signing from Blackburn Rovers. He is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Lilywhites but spent the second half of last season on loan with Plymouth Argyle.
The 6ft 4ins defender made 16 appearances for Plymouth Argyle, became their Young Player of the Season and helped them avoid relegation from the Championship. Phillips joined Championship side Stoke City on a season-long loan last month, reuniting with boss Steven Schumacher.
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However, the 19-year-old has started just one Championship game for Stoke City, playing 74 minutes against his former loan club Plymouth. He has had to compete with four Potters’ centre-backs at the moment, with one of them being their captain Ben Gibson.
Yet, John Wenham, the owner of the reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, believes Phillips will feature regularly for Stoke this year. He thinks the England youth international can do well with a Premier League loan next season before fighting for a spot at Tottenham.
“I still think he will need a year in the Premier League before being considered for Tottenham,” Wenham said exclusively to Tottenham News.
“However, what is interesting is that when he went to Stoke, I understand that they already had four centre-backs, one of them being the club captain.
“Therefore, to see him starting games is hugely promising. It does seem like he will play a lot, which is important.
“Hopefully he does a full season there, gets around 40 games under his belt and then joins a Premier League club on loan next season. He is on a very positive trajectory at the moment.”
Truth be told, Phillips’ Stoke loan hasn’t gone as per the plan thus far. He returned to Spurs in June on a high after a strong loan spell last time out with Plymouth, so the English youngster would have been raring to make a mark straightaway at Stoke.
The Manchester-born talent has started both Carabao Cup games against Middlesbrough and Fleetwood Town but his sights will be to get regular minutes in the league and continue his development. Phillips is expected to continue fighting for his spot under Steven Schumacher, for whom he had featured prominently at Plymouth last term.
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And if everything works out well in the Championship for a second year running, Phillips should then think of a potential Premier League loan next season, and gain valuable experience before staking a first-team claim at Tottenham in 2026.
