At a glance:
- Tottenham have struggled with injuries
- They need to play academy players
- Mason Melia, Tynan Thompson, etc. could help Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur have suffered a massive injury crisis for two consecutive years. The second one has led them to the brink of relegation.
Spurs have been without two of their best three players, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, for the 2025-26 season. They have also lost the likes of Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, Rodrigo Bentancur, and more, for months due to injuries.
However, despite consistently missing so many players, Tottenham have barely seen involvement from their academy players.
The likes of Mikey Moore, Will Lankshear, and Dane Scarlett are all on loan. Meanwhile, the currently available players have barely received any opportunity under their three managers this season.
Tottenham academy could prove to be priceless
With just four games remaining, Spurs have just three fit attackers this season. Five of their senior players are out for the season, while Maddison is also expected to barely feature after recovering from an ACL injury.
Hence, it could be time for Roberto De Zerbi to turn to Tottenham’s academy.
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Here are the five players who could potentially feature in the remaining games:
Note: Unfortunately, Luca Williams-Barnett and Jun’ai Byfield are injured and hence, they haven’t been considered in this list.
5. Mason Melia
Spurs announced Mason Melia’s signing in February last year. However, he stayed at St. Patrick’s Athletic for another year before joining the north London side.
He had an excellent start, scoring on his debut for Tottenham U21 against West Ham U21, helping his side to a 3-2 win. He hasn’t scored in his three appearances since.
Notably, Melia also trained with Tottenham’s senior squad ahead of the Aston Villa clash on Sunday, May 3.
4. James Wilson
Tottenham beat arch-rivals Arsenal to sign James Wilson from Hearts in February this year.
The 19-year-old has had a good start at Spurs, scoring four goals in nine games for the U21 side. He also has senior experience with Hearts, which could help him be more suitable for Spurs’ senior team.
3. Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny
Russell-Denny signed for Tottenham U21 after leaving Chelsea’s academy in February last year.
The 19-year-old midfielder has become a key player for Spurs’ U21 side since his arrival.
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Russell-Denny has made 29 appearances, scoring five goals and providing nine assists. For a team lacking any creativity whatsoever, Spurs’ senior side could do with Russell-Denny’s ability to score and create goals.
2. Callum Olusesi
Olusesi has already played three games for Spurs’ senior team. He made his debut under Ange Postecoglou in the Europa League last year. He has also played two games this season, and didn’t look out of place in either.
With Tottenham struggling to progress the ball in midfield, the 19-year-old could be the perfect fit for De Zerbi’s playing style. He could also gel well with Bentancur, considering their similar profiles.
1. Tynan Thompson
While Luca Williams-Barnett rightly takes all the spotlight in the Tottenham academy, Tynan Thompson is a star in his own right. He can play on either wing in attack and is one of the best dribblers at the club across all levels.
Thompson has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 games for Spurs U21.
With the senior team having just three fit attackers, Thompson absolutely must make his debut in the remaining four games.
Not only would it be a big boost for the fans, but the 18-year-old can actually make a difference on the pitch.
