Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Alfie Devine has signed a new contract with Antonio Conte’s side.
What’s the latest?
A recent post on the club’s official website revealed that the 18-year-old – who joined in 2020 – has now penned a new deal which will see him remain in north London until at least the summer of 2027.
In the statement, the club wrote: “We are delighted to announce that Alfie Devine has signed a new contract with the club that will run until 2027.”
The new Fernandes
Considering the sheer amount of potential that Devine seems to possess, it is unsurprising to learn that Spurs were keen to tie down the forward-thinking midfielder to a new contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Indeed, the £810k-rated talent has highly impressed over the various youth age groups at Hotspur Way, scoring four goals and registering one assist over his 16 appearances for the under-18s, while bagging 11 goals and providing three assists in 32 games for the under-21s.
This level of form saw Jose Mourinho award the youngster his senior debut while still just 16 years of age, with Devine coming on as a half-time substitute in the 5-0 FA Cup victory over Marine in January 2021, also scoring his first goal for the club in the same match.
Indeed, the Portuguese manager appeared to be a big fan of the teenager, with The Athletic revealing last year that the 59-year-old informed Devine that he saw shades of Bruno Fernandes in his game.
Considering that the Manchester United playmaker has scored 51 goals and registered 40 assists in 132 appearances since joining the Red Devils in January 2020, that is quite the compliment from Mourinho.
Furthermore, coach and analyst Harry Brooks also seems to have extremely high hopes for the 18-year-old’s future in the professional game, stating of the midfielder (via The Athletic): “He’s such an all-rounder, a fantastic footballer. He’s just the whole package.
“The talent, the attitude, the ability to always turn it on. The tenacity, the aggression. When it comes to looking at that whole picture, he’s the best player in the academy. He could play for England one day.”
While Devine certainly has a great deal of work to do before he can truly be compared to the £103m-rated Fernandes, it would appear as if the 18-year-old is on the right track to one day emulating the Portugal international’s returns in the top flight. That prospect is sure to be incredibly tantalising for both Conte and Spurs supporters alike.