Striker Will Lankshear leads that group – which also includes 17-year-old wonderkid Mikey Moore.
The centre-forward, 19, won the Premier League 2 player of the year last season and has impressed Ange Postecoglou so much in pre-season, there is a chance he could be in the first-team picture this term.
AN exciting, young English striker released by Arsenal and picked up by Tottenham – where have we heard that one before?
Comparisons between Harry Kane and current Spurs starlet Lankshear are not hard to draw, and not just because of their similar path across North London at academy level.
Lankshear, 19, has echoes of Kane in his physique, his willingness to improve and his predatory instincts inside the penalty box.
He has even celebrated scoring goals in a similar manner to the England captain, with that little jump and fist pump, although their all-round playing style differs.
It goes without saying that no one in N17 is expecting Lankshear to emulate Kane’s historic feats – that would be ridiculous and unfair pressure to put on any young player.
Lankshear began his footballing journey in the Arsenal academy along with older brother Alex Lankshear, 21 and now of Blackpool.Yet the Gunners made the questionable decision to let Will go in the summer of 2021 – perhaps because of a change in academy manager at the time, with Per Mertesacker arriving – just as they did all those years ago with a nine-year-old Kane.
Lankshear quickly shook off the disappointment and moved north to join Sheffield United.
The Blades scouts had been tipped off that Arsenal were not going to offer a deal and invited Lankshear in on a trial, where he impressed with his attitude and work-rate.
They agreed a scholarship contract in February 2021, with Lankshear valuing how the Yorkshire side had a track record of successfully moulding other physical centre-forwards such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Lankshear struck up a strong relationship with academy boss and former EFL striker Jack Lester, who regularly coached the forwards, including Daniel Jebbison and William Osula, now of Premier League pair Bournemouth and Newcastle respectively.
Yet his first six months in N17 were spent on the sidelines after an operation on his knee.
It meant that going into last season, all Lankshear was hoping for was an injury-free campaign – but he got so much more: ending up the Premier League 2 player of the season after his 21 goals and two assists in 22 games helped Spurs to the title.
Tellingly about his character, Lankshear showed his team-mates with praise when interviewed in May about his gong.
The youngster told Spurs’ website: “I’m proud of the goals I’ve scored but it’s all come from the team.
The 47-year-old told SunSport: “He was hungry. He was just what we were all about.
“Jack Lester quickly picked up on his movement in and around the box and thinking like a goalscorer which I think is his biggest attribute.
But with Richarlison’s continuous injury problems – and the recent setback to £65million new-boy Dominic Solanke – Spurs have decided to keep him close for the first half of the season at least.
Like whizkid team-mate Moore, Lankshear will be hoping for cameos here and there when back fit. His best chance of minutes will come in the cups and in the Europa League
