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Aberdeen are close to completing a deal to sign the Tottenham Hotspur breakthrough star on loan.
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Tottenham Hotspur defender Alfie Dorrington is undergoing a medical at Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen this morning ahead of a potential loan move this month.
That's according to Football Insider, with the outlet claiming that the 19-year-old is putting 'the finishing touches to a loan move'. Dorrington will play for the Dons over the second half of the season.
Aberdeen sit fourth in the Scottish Premiership after 22 fixtures this term but have been porous at the back compared to their rivals. The club has conceded 30 goals so far this season and that has left head coach Jimmy Thelin looking to strengthen in defence folowing injuries to Favin Molloy and Jack Milne.
Spurs defender set for Aberdeen move
Aberdeen have already signed Kristers Tobers and Jeppe Okkels during the window and now Dorrington will move to Scotland in the search of first team experience. The teenager has been in the Spurs academy since 2018 and made his first team debut against Southampton last month. He is under contract in north London until 2026.
Speaking after his debut, Dorrington said: “It’s an honour, a true honour. I’ve watched so many of those players, now I’m part of it. It’s funny when I was a young boy, I didn’t even think of being here on a day like this. I just enjoyed playing football. Now, I’ve come on and made my Premier League debut for the team I grew up watching. It’s unbelievable, really.
“My whole family are Spurs. My brother’s mates were here. They live in Dubai, they are close family friends and they’re over for Christmas. That worked out perfectly! A few friends were here as well. For them to be here when I made my debut, that was special.
“It’s amazing to think I started in the Academy with the Under-13s, straight from Sunday league, five years ago now. I’ve been around the squad, been on the bench a few times, but never actually came on. It’s about being patient. It’s about being patient, but this shows you can do it.
“Then the moment comes... it felt like I was on the touchline for ages, excited, just waiting to get on. I was thinking, ‘this is what I’ve worked for my whole life’. I just want to thank all the coaches who have been involved in my journey here and elsewhere and my parents for believing in me, taking me to all those games when I was younger.”
Tottenham Hotspur have been short of options in defence themselves with injuries to Micky Van de Ven and Cristian Romero, as well as Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie. That may make the loan departure of Dorrington a surprise, but Postecoglou had already outlined that decision.
Ange Postecoglou outlines Tottenham transfer strategy
The Aussie previously said: “Alfie is training with us and he has been around the first-team squad and part of the first-team squad.
“He had a pretty significant injury which kept him out of football for quite a while. But he is part of the squad and he probably needs to get some game time so we will look for a loan for him.”
Tottenham are still expected to recruit in that position this month. Speaking about the club's transfer strategy, Postecoglou said: "Like I said a while ago, we've been planning. A lot of it was going to be around where we're at around this time. Fair to say, we're still a little bit short in a couple of areas and we need to reinforce. January's trickier in terms of what sort of players you can bring in.
“For us, ideally, for any club, I guess, you want to bring in people who are going to make you stronger. I think the fact that, obviously, we're still in the Carabao Cup semi-final, still got Europe, FA Cup, we're in all the competitions, it's not like our schedule's going to ease up at any stage. So, I think it makes sense. We will try and reinforce, where and what number we'll have to wait and see."