Ange Postecoglou outlines Tottenham’s ambition to become a ‘preferred destination for talented young players’ with club closing in on Lucas Bergvall deal… but warns ‘we’ve got a lot of work to do in our academy’
Ange Postecoglou believes the flair, adventure and opportunity displayed by his Tottenham team are helping to attract exciting young players from around the world.
Spurs are closing in on the signing of 18-year-old midfielder Lucas Bergvall from Djurgarden in Sweden after convincing him to snub Barcelona. Last month they persuaded Romanian defender Radu Dragusin, 21, to join them from Genoa for £26.7 million, despite strong interest from Bayern Munich.
But Postecoglou warned that they need to improve their academy’s production line to compete at the top.
“We have a lot of work to do in our academy,” the Spurs boss said. ‘I don’t think we have the production line that other top clubs have, certainly not. Even now we are therefore investing in a number of younger players, even for the first team. For us as a football club, that is absolutely the way forward.
‘My assignment at the moment is still mainly about the first team, building a first team and you can do that while at the same time giving young players opportunities.
Tottenham wants to become a top destination for top young talents, says Ange Postecoglou
Spurs are closing in on 18-year-old Djurgarden midfielder Lucas Bergvall after rejecting Barcelona
‘Sustained success is the best way to go because the team grows together when it’s guys the same age, as long as you have good experience around them.
“That’s what we do at first-team level. We still have a lot of work to do at academy level.’
Postecoglou said academy director Simon Davies led the challenge.
“We have a great man in Simon,” Postecoglou added. “He has worked at some of the best academies and he knows what it takes. We have some good coaches there. This year was better, but in terms of the production line of young players I think we are still far behind other clubs.’
Yet the capture of Bergvall under the noses of Barcelona represents a new recruitment coup for Tottenham.
“I don’t think it’s so much what we say, it’s more what people see,” Postecoglou said. ‘That is the most important. It’s like anything in life, you can try to sell a vision or something to someone, but if there is tangible physical evidence of it, anyone who has watched us since I joined will have seen the ambitions that we have to be the kind of team we stand for. want to be.
‘I don’t just say that, we actually do it. Okay, we are far from the finished product, but we are giving young players a chance. Destiny Udogie, Pape Sarr and Micky van de Ven, all guys in their early twenties who have already played an important role.
They managed to sign Radu Dragusin, 21, last month – despite interest from Bayern Munich
Postecoglou admitted Spurs are investing in younger players because their academy ‘we have a lot of work to do in our academy’
“So we’re building a team. From our perspective it is nice and hopefully we will become a club that is a destination of choice for talented young players.
‘There aren’t that many hidden gems around. Everyone knows who the talents are. Hopefully our point of difference. I’ve always felt your football was your biggest selling point. Hopefully we will show what helps us.’
