It was hardly Gareth Bale against Inter Milan, although Archie Gray’s Champions League performance in midweek felt like the latest highlight of Tottenham Hotspur’s young talent.
The all-round midfielder was delighted to watch against an experienced Atletico Madrid side, with his star praised by Marcos Llorente, who applauded the 20-year-old as he left the stands.
There is no greater praise than that of a rival, with Gray finally being allowed the chance to blossom in his midfield role, after filling long gaps and holes in defense under both Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou.
Once Leeds United’s golden boy, the Englishman looks like a bright light in a struggling Spurs side. I hope there is more to come, from Gray and within the Tottenham academy.
The following are the skills you should look out for at Spurs
Wednesday night may have seen the likes of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero welcomed back into the fold, although it was a night for Igor Tudor’s youth side, with Grey, Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons all coming to the party in a 3-2 win.
The Lilywhites’ continuing list of absentees also allowed 19-year-old Callum Olesusi another chance to come off the bench, with the youngster putting in a convincing display in that cameo.
The promising player has been a fixture in the matchday squad in recent weeks, as has James Rowswell, the 19-year-old defender who has scored three goals in ten U21 Premier League appearances this season.
Hopes are also high come January, with James Wilson, the Hearts striker who has scored eight goals in 45 Premier League games for Edinburgh, since joining the bench under Tudor.
Going into next season, Spurs will be able to welcome a number of youngsters who are still shining on loan, with Luka Vuskovic and Mike Moore the notable success stories of 2025/26, during their time at Hamburg and Rangers, respectively.
|
Possible Spurs XI – 2026/27 |
|
|---|---|
|
Position |
The player |
|
GK |
Vicar* |
|
RB |
Porro* |
|
CB |
Vuskovic |
|
CB |
Van de Ven |
|
LB |
Spence* |
|
CM |
Bergvall |
|
CM |
Gray |
|
RM |
Kudus |
|
AM |
Simmons |
|
LM |
Moore |
|
ST |
All of us* |
|
*Sign to replace/upgrade |
|
20-year-old striker Will Lankshear has scored eight Championship goals on loan at Oxford United, while Camden-born Tyrese Hall has netted six goals on loan at Notts County, with most of his loan spells paid to the north London side.
There are plenty of reasons to be happy then, although arguably Spurs’ biggest talent is still waiting for his rightful chance at the top level.
Spurs are making a bigger talent than Archie Gray
Records fell during the week, when Gray became the fourth youngest Englishman to register an assist in a Champions League play-off game, while he equaled Dele Alli for the most Champions League starts by a Spurs player under the age of 21 (seven).
Tudor must bench Spurs’ disgraced 68-touch star Archie Gray
Archie Gray was top class as Spurs earned a deserved 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid.
If anyone in Tottenham’s current ranks is going to develop such statistics in the coming years, you can certainly hang your hat on 17-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett.
Now, the promising youngster – who has not been sidelined through injury – has been the only first-team starter so far, making three minutes of the Carabao Cup win over Doncaster Rovers.
A second chance hasn’t followed since, although the young England international has been included in the senior matchday squad this season, which has also made it count.
Indeed, his record at youth level, whether as a left-back or as a number ten, is quite impressive, with Williams-Barnett scoring 23 goals in 28 U18 Premier League games, and a further six in just ten Premier League 2 games.
In all competitions in 2025/26 alone, the young diamond has scored 16 goals and provided eight assists, rubberstamping why Como scout Ben Mattinson described him as “one of England’s best talents at youth level”.
In Mattinson’s view too, there will be a battle in north London in the future between Williams-Barnett and Arsenal’s 16-year-old sensation, Max Dowman, which is an indication of the kind of talent Spurs have at their disposal.
Dowman, who scored against Everton last weekend, looks like England’s next golden boy on current evidence, but the Tottenham star could enter the conversation soon, either before the end of the season or next term.
Gray – alongside Tel and Simons – could be the reason for survival in N17 for now, although the next Spurs manager will soon build his team around Williams-Barnett instead.
Of course, patience and a sense of reality are necessary for any 17-year-old player, but this is undoubtedly a talent to be admired. Watch this space.
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Wednesday night could prove a real breakthrough for one Spurs star.
