The 5 academy kids Tottenham let go in the summer – & how they’re faring elsewhere

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Tottenham’s academy has produced several brilliant footballers in recent years, with the likes of Harry Kane and Marcus Edwards flying the flag abroad.

But Spurs also released a few of their homegrown talents over the summer of 2024, as Ange Postecoglou shuffled his squad to help the club return to the Champions League.

We’ve taken this opportunity to check in on how they’re all faring since leaving the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Japhet Tanganga

One of the few beneficiaries of Jose Mourinho’s scorched-earth approach to managing Spurs, Tanganga played a series of games in the 2019-20 season before injuries stalled his progress.

In truth, the defender was probably not up to Tottenham’s standards but that didn’t stop the feeling of sadness when he made his loan move to Millwall permanent in the summer of 2024.

Tanganga has found a home from home in south London, regularly starting matches as Millwall push for an improbable promotion to the Premier League.

Charlie Sayers

After catching the eye at Southend United, Sayers was bought by Tottenham in December 2021 but was mainly limited to under-18 and under-21 football.

Upon being released last summer, the full-back was subject to interest from numerous EFL clubs but chose to move north of the border and signed for Scottish Championship side Patrick Thistle.

He has made one league appearance and one Scottish Challenge Cup appearance as he adjusts to life in Irn Bru territory.

Billy Heaps

Heaps was released by Spurs over the summer following the conclusion of his three-year scholarship with the club.

Originally plucked from Stevenage, the midfielder regularly turned out for Spurs’ under-18 side, but has been unable to find a club over the past six months.

Still, Heaps is only 19 and we’re sure somebody will take a chance on the youngster sooner rather than later.

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Kieran Morgan

Following 10 years on the books at Tottenham, Morgan moved across London this summer and signed for Championship side QPR.

A player who is comfortable in possession and also likes to carry the ball forward, the defensive midfielder was originally intended for QPR’s under-21 side but has made eight first-team appearances as the west Londoners struggle at the bottom of the second tier.

His composure under difficult circumstances has impressed the Loftus Road faithful and Morgan scored his first career goal in a 1-1 draw with Coventry in October.

“He played fantastic. He has a big personality,” QPR boss Marti Cifuentes said afterwards.

“That’s a little bit of the trend he has been showing since he joined in the summer. He came here at 17 years old and now he’s 18.

“He’s been showing a lot of good things and getting some minutes these last games because that is what he has been pushing for. We felt that today he could be a part of the team and he has done very well.

“I am very happy for him with the way he played and the personality he showed, playing against a team at the top of the table, asking for the ball all the time, being crucial in our build-up play and crucial in how we attack in the last third.

“Very, very good signal for not only him but for the club that we have the possibility to give opportunities to academy players and that they can perform at this level.”

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Han Willhoft-King

Willhoft-King joined the Tottenham academy aged six, progressing through the ranks being named by The Guardian as the best player in his age-group at the club in September 2022.

But he turned down a contract offer from Spurs two years later and was snapped up by Manchester City over the summer.

The midfielder, who is eligible for England, China, Chinese Taipei, Germany, India, Indonesia and the USA at international level due to his family heritage, has made one PL2 appearance for City this season but there are high hopes for his future.