The sheer size of Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham squad meant that a number of outgoings always needed to take place in north London ahead of the 2024/25 season. In a summer where we saw players depart on a permanent basis, the club sanctioned loan deals for those unfortunately not going to get regular first-team minutes in the tank at Spurs.
Striking agreements with EFL clubs for some of their talented youngsters, others headed a bit further afield and secured moves abroad. Alfie Devine was the last loan player out of the door at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after making the move to Belgian side Westerlo at the beginning of September.
So who exactly are Tottenham's loan players facing this weekend? football.london takes a look below.
Alfie Devine (Westerlo)
There will be a Tottenham reunion taking place on Saturday evening when Devine's Westerlo side face Royal Antwerp at Het Kuipje. A game which will see Devine make his home debut for his new club if he does indeed take to the pitch, the match will also see the midfielder come face-to-face with former Spurs teammate Toby Alderweireld.
Devine had joined Tottenham for the Belgian's last season in N17, with Alderweireld on the bench after playing the first half when the starlet wrote his name into Spurs folklore after becoming the club's youngest ever player and youngest goalscorer with a goal in the 5-0 win over non-league Marine.
That was the 20-year-old's only senior appearance for Spurs that season but he was in the squad for the 1-0 defeat at Brighton the very same month, a game in which Alderweireld played the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 defeat.
Manor Solomon (Leeds United)
Manor Solomon will be looking to make up for his unfortunate slip in Leeds' 1-0 defeat to Burnley last weekend when the West Yorkshire club travel to Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon. Leeds will be the red-hot favourites to win in the Welsh capital with Cardiff yet to register a victory this term.
Leeds very much need to pick up maximum points to help keep in touch with the teams at the top.
Bryan Gil (Girona)
After a heartbreaking Champions League defeat on Wednesday evening in which PSG secured a 1-0 win following Paulo Gazzaniga's 90th minute own goal, Girona travel to Valencia on Saturday evening. The game at the Mestalla will give Bryan Gil the opportunity to come up against the club he enjoyed a successful loan spell with in 2022.
Gil is enjoying his time back in his homeland after starting all six of his games for Girona so far. A key player for Michel's team, the Tottenham loanee will be intent on helping his new team to victory after a mixed start to the La Liga campaign so far.
Alejo Veliz (Espanyol)
Alejo Veliz will have the opportunity to lead the line for Espanyol at Real Madrid's famous Santiago Bernabeu home on Saturday evening. The striker has started all five of his games for the Barcelona-based club since making the move from Tottenham and he will be aiming to add to his tally for the season by scoring against Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Co. in the Spanish capital.
Ahead of this weekend's clash against the Spanish giants, Espanyol sporting director Fran Garagarza told AS that Veliz rejected moves to Champions League clubs in order to join them on loan for the season.
"We understood that we had to go for that type of player who was more out than in at his clubs," he said, as reported by Sport Witness. "In the case of Veliz, for example, he came from a somewhat complicated loan at Sevilla. He didn't play much. It's true that if he had played his level there, we wouldn't have had any chance of having him with us.
"He had several Italian teams and Champions League clubs after him, but Tottenham helped us. They understood that with us the player's value would increase because we made them see that he was going to be important. Having a young boy of that profile, even with money, is difficult."
Ashley Phillips (Stoke City)
Ashley Phillips will have his fingers crossed that he is in the Stoke City XI for Narcis Pelach's first match as head coach when they host Hull City on Friday night. The 36-year-old took over on Wednesday following Steven Schumacher's exit from the Staffordshire club.
Phillips has only started one of three Championship games since swapping Spurs for Stoke, with his other two appearances coming in the Carabao Cup. The centre-back was only on the pitch for 41 minutes on Tuesday evening in their third round win over Fleetwood Town as he was forced off after "taking a Danny Mayor shot in the chops from close range".
Dane Scarlett (Oxford United)
Dane Scarlett really needs his Oxford United loan spell to turn in his favour after finding himself as unused substitute in their last three Championship games. His only appearance in the league to date was a small cameo in the 3-2 defeat at Coventry City as he was introduced in the 90th minute.
The issue for Scarlett is that striker Mark Harris is performing so well up front at present after netting four goals in his first five Championship games. Oxford travel to Bristol City on Saturday afternoon as they aim to keep pace with the top six.
Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley (Leyton Orient)
After getting some invaluable experience against Premier League opposition in midweek following Leyton Orient's Carabao Cup tie at Brentford, Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley return to League One action away at high-flying Stockport County.
Whereas Keeley has yet to make his league bow for the east London club, Donley was an unused substitute for last weekend's impressive 1-0 win away at Reading after his previous starts. The pair will be hoping they have done enough to change Richie Wellens' thinking for the Stockport encounter.
Matthew Craig (Barnsley)
Matthew Craig played at Old Trafford earlier in the week after coming on at half-time in Barnsley's 7-0 Carabao Cup hammering against Manchester United. As the midfielder has started all five of his league appearances for the South Yorkshire club since making the move to Oakwell, the 21-year-old will be expected to return to the starting XI away at Burton Albion.
George Abbott (Notts County)
It's looking very promising for George Abbott and Notts County at present with the Magpies currently leading the way in League Two. The youngster has started their last two league games in midfield and he looks set to get the nod once again as second-place Gillingham make the trip to Meadow Lane for what should be a mouth-watering contest.
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