Tottenham Hotspur have seen a shift in their recruitment strategy over the last few years – something which Fabio Paratici no doubt was at the centre of.
The Italian spent two years at the club between 2021 and 2023, subsequently turning the hierarchy’s attention to investing in younger talents for the immediate and long-term future.
In the summer of 2022 alone, the 53-year-old completed deals for full-backs Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence – that’s despite the latter being unwanted by then-boss Antonio Conte.
However, in the present day, both players have become key members of Thomas Frank’s first-team squad, showcasing the impressive work done in the transfer market.
The aforementioned duo will be hoping they achieve more sustained success than one player who demonstrated glimpses of quality during the early days of his career in North London.
The real reason behind Dele’s decline at Spurs
Back in the summer of 2015, Spurs forked out a reported £5m for the signature of attacking midfielder Dele – with many supporters unaware of the youngster.
At just 19, many anticipated the Englishman to join the youth setup in North London, but he would make himself an immediate fan-favourite as a result of his tremendous displays.
For the first three years of his stint at the Lilywhites, he was a regular starter – racking up 146 appearances, scoring on 46 occasions and laying on 35 assists for his teammates.
Such form saw Dele claim the PFA Young Player of the Year two years in a row, becoming just one of five players to achieve such a feat in the history of the Premier League.
However, in a remarkable interview with Gary Neville back in the summer of 2023, the former Lilywhites star opened up on his trauma from his younger years, which no doubt had an effect on his footballing career.
He was often called into question by José Mourinho for his attitude and laziness, also suffering numerous injuries, which plagued his progress in North London.
Dele suffered 11 separate injury setbacks in his seven-year period in North London, with such issues preventing his progress and seeing him miss 44 first-team matches.
His time with the Lilywhites came to a disappointing end back in January 2022, subsequently joining Everton on a free transfer – an unthinkable ending given his previous form.
The Spurs star who’s their best teenage star since Dele
Many supporters questioned Dele’s attitude during his time with Spurs, but after his courage to speak out about his mental health struggles, it’s safe to say many fans empathise with the midfielder.
Such issues have taken a huge toll on his professional career, with the former Lilywhites star now without a club at the age of 29 after leaving Como this summer.
However, there’s no denying he will forever be remembered by the fans for his countless moments of magic that gave everyone involved with the football club memories to last a lifetime.
From Goal of the Season strikes against Crystal Palace, to his memorable double against Chelsea that ended the Blues’ unbeaten 2016/17 record at White Hart Lane.
Such levels are rarely seen from such a young talent, but there’s current generation of supporters has their next remarkable youngster in the form of Lucas Bergvall.
Like Dele, he joined the Lilywhites for less than £10m, arriving as an unknown quantity to the majority of supporters after previously plying his trade for Djurgarden.
However, the Swedish youngster has rapidly developed into one of the club’s best players, a simply remarkable feat given he’s still just 19 years of age.
Despite his tender age, the midfielder has already racked up 56 appearances for the first-team and has subsequently featured in all but one game since Frank took the reins.
Bergvall even netted his first Premier League goal in the win over West Ham United last month, leading to head of scouting Rob Mackenzie labelling him as “a genuine generational talent”.
His underlying stats from 2025/26 highlight that the praise is certainly warranted, with the teenager completing 70% of the dribbles he’s attempted to date, whilst also ranking in the top 12% of all players in the league for assists registered.
However, out of possession, the Swede has been just as impressive, winning 2.6 tackles per 90 and coming out on top in a total of 5.5 duels per 90 – stats which make him the perfect box-to-box option.
Games played
7
Goals & assists
2
Pass accuracy
84%
Dribble success
70%
Tackles won
2.6
Duels won
5.5
Recoveries made
3.8
Shots taken
1.2
Frank and Co will desperately be hoping Bergvall can continue on his current trajectory in North London, with the youngster having all the tools to be a key member of the squad in their hunt for added silverware.
There’s little doubt that he’s the best teenage star they’ve had on their hands since Dele’s emergence, but everyone will be hoping that the end to his story with the Lilywhites is a happier one.
