Posteocoglou is now woefully short of options at central defence after the departures of Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga during the summer transfer window.

While Romero and Van de Ven have formed a formidable partnership at the back, Dier is the only other senior centre-back that Postecoglou has at his disposal as a backup to the Argentine and the Dutchman.

18-year-old Phillips, who arrived from Blackburn Rovers during the summer, is quite highly rated and has even been named on the bench on a few occasions ahead of Dier.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Ashley Phillips must be impressing at Tottenham

Both Dier and Phillips were unused substitutes during  Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Fulham, and James Maw has said that the teenager is further along in his development than many at Spurs anticipated.

He said on The Athleitc’s View from the Lane Podcast: “I don’t know, it’s hard to say. I think there has kind of been a suggestion, I mean [Ange] Postecoglou has certainly talked up [Ashley] Phillips hasn’t he?

“I think the suggestion has kind of been that he’s further along than they expected him to be at this point. But, the fact that he hasn’t played a minute of football either.”

However, Spiers disagreed with the assessment, stating that he believes Dier is ahead of the youngster in the pecking order.

He added: “I’d be amazed if Phillips got in ahead of [Eric] Dier. I think there were a couple of games earlier in the season where he got in ahead of Dier just before the window closed.

“So, maybe they were thinking Dier was going to leave and then Dier was out ill one week. But otherwise, it’s been Dier ahead in the pecking order.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Postecoglou did mention that Dier has had a few injuries this season, which might be the reason why Phillips was named on the bench ahead of the England international on a few occasions.

If there is an injury to one of Romero or Van de Ven, I believe that Dier is more likely to come into the team, given his experience.

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Tottenham go into the international break at the top of the Premier League table after an incredible start to the season under Ange Postecoglou.

The Spurs boss has bid farewell to a large portion of his squad for the next couple of weeks, as various players head out to join up with their national squads.

There are Euro 2024 qualifiers, friendly matches, youth squad action, and even some World Cup 2026 qualifiers on the way in the coming days.

On Wednesday, Ben Davies captained Wales to a 4-0 win over Gibraltar at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground. The Spurs defender even opened the scoring on the night, nodding home from three yards out.

Meanwhile, Tottenham youngsters Luca Gunter and Ashley Phillips played the full 90 minutes as England U19s drew 0-0 with Montenegro. Alfie Dorrington was an unused substitute for the game, while Jamie Donley didn’t make the matchday squad.

Fellow youngster, Will Andiyapan, was in action for Wales U19s, playing the full 90 minutes in another 0-0 draw, against Austria.

SOLNA, SWEDEN – MARCH 24: Dejan Kulusevski of Sweden during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group A match between Sweden and Belgium at Friends Arena on March 24, 2023 in Solna, Sweden. (Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

When do Spurs players have international games?

Here are the upcoming international games for the Tottenham Hotspur players.

Heung-min Son: South Korea vs Tunisia (friendly) October 13 at 12pm, South Korea vs Vietnam (friendly) October 17 at 12pm

James Maddison: England vs Australia (friendly) October 13 at 7:45pm, England vs Italy (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 17 at 7:45pm

Dejan Kulusevski: Sweden vs Moldova (friendly) October 12 at 6pm, Belgium vs Sweden (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 16 at 7:45pm

Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero: Argentina vs Paraguay (World Cup 2026 qualifier) October 13 at 12am, Peru vs Argentina (World Cup 2026 qualifier) October 18 at 3am

Micky van de Ven: Netherlands vs France (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 13 at 7:45pm, Greece vs Netherlands (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 16 at 7:45pm

Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario: Italy vs Malta (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 14 at 7:45pm, England vs Italy (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 17 at 7:45pm

Yves Bissouma: Mali vs Saudi Arabia (friendly) October 17 at 4pm

Pape Matar Sarr: Senegal vs Cameroon (friendly) October 16 at 7:30pm

Richarlison: Brazil vs Venezuela (World Cup 2026 qualifier) October 13 at 1:30am, Uruguay vs Brazil (World Cup 2026 qualifier) October 18 at 1am

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Denmark vs Kazakhstan (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 14 at 7:45pm, San Marino vs Denmark (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 17 at 7:45pm

Ben Davies and Joe Rodon: Wales vs Croatia (Euro 2024 qualifier) October 15 at 7:45pm

Dane Scarlett: England U21s vs Serbia U21s (Euro qualifier) October 12 at 7:45pm, Slovakia U21s vs England U21s (Euro qualifier) October 16 at 5:30pm

Alfie Devine: Romania U20s vs England U20s (Euro Lite) October 12 at 5pm, England U20s vs Portugal U20s (Euro Lite) October 17 at 7pm

Alfie Dorrington, Ashley Phillips, Jamie Donley, and Luca Gunter: England U19s vs Wales U19s (Euro qualifier) October 14 at 2pm, England U19s vs Austria U19s (Euro qualifier) October 17 at 5pm

Will Andiyapan: Wales U19s vs England U19s (Euro qualifier) October 14 at 2pm, Montenegro U19s vs Wales U19s (Euro qualifier) October 17 at 5pm

Josh Keeley: Latvia U21s vs Republic of Ireland U21s (Euro qualifier) October 13 at 1pm

Mikey Moore and Callum Olusesi: England U17s vs Norway U17s (friendly) October 13 at 12pm

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In the past, Tottenham have developed fantastic stars through their academy such as Ledley King and Harry Kane. In the first-team squad right now, Oliver Skipp is a fine example of that pipeline, too.

At present, the Spurs first team are performing brilliantly, and remain unbeaten in the league under Ange Postecoglou. Suffice to say, the Australian is pretty happy with his players.

However, the squad does appear to be worryingly thin in the centre of defence, and an injury to either Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero could be incredibly harmful given the lack of cover.

Luckily, Spurs have a couple of top talents in their youth squad who could well make the step up this year if needed.

TELFORD, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: Alfie Dorrington of Tottenham Hotspur U21 runs past Nathan Fraser of Wolves during Premier League 2 match between Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 AND Tottenham Hotspur U21 at New Bucks Head Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Telford, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

Is Alfie Dorrington ready for the first team?

Both Ashley Phillips and Alfie Dorrington have formed a solid partnership in a short space of time, and the latter is the subject of high praise in a recent report from Football.London.

Apparently, there is “a lot of belief” among the coaching staff at Spurs that Dorrington can go all the way to the top with the Lilywhites and he was expected to be “pushing for a first-team squad role” under Postecoglou.

The acquisition of his teammate, Phillips, however, has seemingly become something of a “roadblock” for Dorrington in his path to the first team. While the pair are playing well together, it is thought Phillips’ relative experience may give him the edge.

Despite Phillips making it onto the substitute bench for the first team recently, Dorrington has “only continued to improve” and is now “one of the stars” in the U21 side.

With Dorrington having “such a high ceiling” and Tottenham looking low on numbers in the centre of defence, there is a belief that the 18-year-old could “suddenly be elevated” into the first-team squad, too.

Spurs Web Opinion

We are in a very fortunate position to have not one, but two exciting young centre-backs fighting to join the first-team squad. I do not believe it has to be a competition between the two though, and there could well be opportunities for both Dorrington and Phillips to break into Postecoglou’s plans. 

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Phillips is highly thought of within the game, with the centre-back having broken into Blackburn’s senior side aged just 17, and making 14 senior appearances across all competitions for the Championship side last season (Transfermarkt).

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

The 18-year-old took home the Apprentice of the Season award in the English second tier and even captained England’s Under-18s in the recently concluded International Tournament of Lisbon.

Football.London’s Alasdair Gold revealed a couple of weeks ago that the teenager is expected to train with the Spurs first-team every week, with the club expected to decide in January whether to loan him out or not.

According to various reports, Tottenham paid just £3m to bring Phillips to North London due to a clause in his contract (Evening Standard).

Blackburn could have got a lot more for Phillips

Broughton has now explained that the clause would have been worth a lot more if the centre-back had made more appearances for the Championship side last season, but he revealed that was not something that the Ewood Park hierarchy forced on their head coach, Jon Dahl Tomasson.

The Blackburn director told The Lancashire Telegraph about Phillips’ sale: “It was difficult but not unexpected. When I came into the building, I was told it was a player who wasn’t prepared to sign a contract. We spent a lot of time and energy convincing the player to sign that contract. 

“Under the current football rules, whether we like it or not, he was a scholar, he hadn’t signed a professional contract. He could exercise a seven-day notice on that scholarship to leave the club on a tribunal fee which was likely to be about £200,000.

“In order to do so, we had to put various clauses in it to get him to sign the deal. One of those was a very complicated release clause, described by our legal team as one of the most complicated they had ever worked on. It had various different triggers and we got to a situation in Easter where we knew he had to play a certain number of games more in order to take that to the next price level.

“We sat down as a Board of Directors and with Jon as head coach and we were completely unanimous that Jon, at that stage of the season, had to be able to pick the strongest team available. Ash had to play his way into the team and not be selected because of a clause triggered higher money. 

“We understand that we could’ve triggered more money by him playing. That wasn’t, by the way, one or two substitute appearances, he had to play a number of minutes to trigger that. Throwing him on for the last five minutes wouldn’t have done that.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Given that Blackburn were fighting for a playoff spot last season, they certainly could not afford to give more minutes to Phillips just to trigger the clause.

The cash influx they could have earned from potential promotion to the Premier League is astronomically higher than the few million more they would have got for Phillips.

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Alasdair Gold revealed yesterday that the early suggestions from Argentina were that Cristian Romero’s injury was not a serious one.

Ange Postecoglou and his coaching staff, as well as everyone else associated with Tottenham, faced a nervous wait for more news on Romero after it emerged that the centre-back had picked up an injury during Argentina’s 1-0 win over Ecuador.

(Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Maundo Bocaradio reporter Luis Fregossi took to social media after the game to reveal that the 25-year-old had a knee problem and that he would be assessed before a decision was made on whether he could play a part in Tuesday’s game against Bolivia or should return to Spurs.

A lot was riding on the outcome, with Eric Dier being the only senior centre-back that Postecoglou could turn to in case Romero is not passed fit for the clash against Nottingham Forest.

Ashley Phillips may not be needed quite yet at Spurs

Gold suggested that 18-year-old summer signing, Ashley Phillips, is likely to start over Dier on Saturday in case Romero is not passed fit.

The journalist said on a Q&A on Football London: “The early suggestions from Argentina appear to be that it’s a minor injury to his right leg, to the point where a decision will be made over whether he remains with the squad and travels to Bolivia for the next game or whether he returns to England.

“The reports in his homeland suggest the decision will be made tomorrow (Sunday) but that he is a doubt for the Bolivia game.

“Of course, there would be an injury worry with Spurs having just let their next-in-line centre-back leave the club and in the week when Lionel Messi declared Romero as the best defender in the world. Romero seems to pick up a fair few injuries on Argentina duty but with his all-action style, it could happen in any game.

“Fingers crossed this is just a precautionary move and more than a week’s recovery will be enough. As for who steps in, at this point, it could well be Ashley Phillips judging by recent squad selections. It would certainly tell us plenty about Eric Dier’s position in the squad.”

However, it appears Spurs may be able to breathe for now, as Romero seemingly trained with his international teammates yesterday.

Cristian Romero shown in training with Argentina yesterday afternoon….and breathe. https://t.co/KgEXcsizdL

— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) September 10, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion 

The fact that Postecoglou named Phillips on the bench over Dier against Burnley is perhaps a clear indication that the teenager is ahead of the England international in the pecking order. 

Ange has shown over the course of his managerial career that he is not averse to throwing young players into the deep end if he thinks they are good enough, but the Spurs head coach will be desperately hoping that Romero is passed fit as the Argentine is the leader of the backline.

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Signed from Blackburn Rovers this summer in a £2m deal (BBC), Ashley Phillips was thought to be a player Spurs would develop for the future.

At just 18 years of age, and with just 14 senior appearances to his name (Transfermarkt), certainly no one expected Phillips to be in contention for much first-team football at Tottenham this season.

The player himself actually told the club website that he hopes to be involved with Ange Postecoglou‘s first team this year. And, just as he hoped, Phillips found himself on the bench for the recent win against Burnley in the Premier League.

Postecoglou has previously revealed Phillips will train with the first team ‘week in, week out’ (Football.London) and apparently the young defender has left his manager very impressed so far (Sky Sports).

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Ashley Phillips off the mark for England

With Davinson Sanchez leaving Spurs this summer, there is a chance we could see Phillips take to the field for the first team. And now, the youngster will be heading back to North London after the international break with his goal for the England U19s.

Phillips came off the bench after 63 minutes in the game against Switzerland, and within two minutes, had found the back of the net. A cross into the box fell to Phillips, who rifled home his effort via a deflection to claim his first goal at international level.

Fellow Spurs centre-half, Alfie Dorrington, also featured in the game, having made the starting line-up for the 4-2 win over Switzerland.

Spurs Web Opinion

I can’t wait to see Ashley Phillips given his opportunity with the Spurs first team, and I suspect it will come pretty soon. Eric Dier is clearly not in Postecoglou’s plans, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Phillips was almost above him in the pecking order now.

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A few eyebrows were raised when Tottenham agreed to sell Davisnon Sanchez to Galatasaray this week, given that the Colombian was used by Ange Postecoglou as Cristian Romero’s primary backup.

With the European transfer window now, Eric Dier is the recognized only senior centre-back that the Australian can call upon if there is an injury to either Romero or Micky van de Ven.

(Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Postecoglou likes the look of 18-year-old Phillips

However, Sky Sports have now offered one explanation as to why Spurs agreed to offload Sanchez, stating that Phillips has caught Postecoglou’s eye.

The 18-year-old, who took home the Apprentice of the Season award in the Championship last season, was named on the bench for the clash against Burnley on Saturday ahead of Dier.

It has now emerged that this is because Postecoglou has been ‘impressed’ with what he has seen from the teenager in training at Hotspur Way.

Spurs Web Opinion

Over the course of his career, Postcoglou has shown that he is willing to trust younger players if they demonstrate that they are good enough. So, I certainly would not rule out the prospect of Phillips potentially being handed his senior debut for Spurs sooner rather than later.

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Phillips is highly thought of within the game, with the centre-back having broken into Blackburn’s senior side agent just 17, and making 14 senior appearances across all competitions for the Championship side last season (Transfermarkt).

The 18-year-old took home the Apprentice of the Season award in the English second tier and even captained England’s Under-18s in the recently concluded International Tournament of Lisbon.

In his first interview with Tottenham’s official channel last month, Phillips admitted that he wants to be involved in the first-team environment this season. 

That looks like it is already happening, with Ange Postecoglou even naming the teenager on the bench for the clash at Turf Moor on Saturday ahead of Eric Dier.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Ashley Phillips will be a regular in first-team training

Gold has now revealed that Tottenham’s plan is for Phillips to remain in the first-team set-up rather than training with the Under-21s.

When asked if the youngster could be handed an opportunity by Postecoglou, the journalist said on a Q&A on Football.London: “He’s on the fringes right now. He’s very young – just 18.

“But as the season goes on, with work from Postecoglou, he could play a part if he’s not loaned in January. He’s going to train with the first team week in, week out.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Over the course of his managerial career, Postecoglou has shown that he is not afraid to hand opportunities to youngsters if they show that they are good enough. So, I certainly would not rule out the possibility of Phillips making a few senior appearances this season.

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One thing was clear going into this summer – Tottenham needed to sign new defenders. A disastrous season at the back last year left the Lilywhites in dire need of defensive reinforcements.

With the signing of Micky van de Ven, Spurs have added a ready-made centre-back to their first team. It is thought Ange Postecoglou is keen to bring in one more player in that position this summer (Football.London).

While repairing the squad for the present has been crucial, it seems Tottenham have also been building for the future, too. The £2m signing (BBC) of Ashley Phillips from Blackburn Rovers earlier this summer sees a player with great promise arriving in North London.

The youngster is expected to remain with the club, for the first half of the season, at least, rather than heading out on loan (Ham & High).

(Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Ashley Phillips enjoys playing with Alfie Dorrington

Phillips is one game in to his Spurs career, now, having made his debut for the Under-21s in a 4-1 win over Newcastle United. And, it sounds like the 18-year-old has found the perfect defensive partner in Alfie Dorrington.

Speaking to the club website, Phillips said: “I’ve played with him a couple of times for England so we had that partnership already, but it was really good to join him in a Spurs shirt.

“It’s been really enjoyable. The lads have really been great with me and helped me to settle in, so it’s just about kicking on now.”

Spurs Web Opinion

That centre back pairing of Ashley Phillips and Alfie Dorrington could and should be a big part of our future defence. It will be great to see the two of them playing together this season, and it probably won’t be long before they both get to rub shoulders with the first team.

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Phillips‘ arrival at Spurs has perhaps been overshadowed by some of the other big-name signings that have come through the door at Hotspur Way this summer.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

However, the centre-back is quite highly thought of in the game, having broken into Blackburn’s senior side agent just 17, and making 14 senior appearances across all competitions for the Championship side last season (Transfermarkt).

The centre-back took home the Apprentice of the Season award in the English second tier and even captained England’s Under-18s in the recently concluded International Tournament of Lisbon.

Postecoglou is keeping Phillips around this year

In his first interview with Tottenham’s official channel, Phillips admitted that he wants to be involved in the first-team environment during the upcoming season. 

It now looks like the 18-year-old might get his wish, with Ham & High reporting that the centre-back will not be loaned out during the first half of the season.

However, the outlet added that Dane Scarlett is expected to return to League One following his stint at Portsmouth last season while Alfie Devine might head to a Championship club in a temporary deal.

Spurs Web Opinion

It appears like Postecoglou’s plan for both Veliz and Phillips is for them to train with the first-team stars at Tottenham. The club might make a decision on a potential loan deal for both youngsters during the January window.

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News broke earlier this morning to confirm that star striker Harry Kane and a number of other players who featured in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk would not be making the trip to Catalunia due to their involvement at the weekend.

One player who is set to feature is new signing Ashley Phillips, the central defender completed his move from Blackburn Rovers at the weekend.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Which Spurs players could play against Barcelona?

Among those spotted heading up the steps to the plane along with Phillips were Heung-min Son, Ben Davies, Pedro Porro, Davinson Sanchez, Pape Matar Sarr, Oliver Skipp, Brandon Austin and Sergio Reguilon.

It will be the final pre-season match for Tottenham ahead of the Premier League match against Brentford on Sunday.

See you soon, Barcelona pic.twitter.com/hzP4Ynq7p0

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 8, 2023

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The 18-year-old central defender has penned a five-year contract with the North Londoners from the Championship outfit, having been linked with a move to Ange Postecoglou’s side for the past few weeks.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Ashley Phillips joins Spurs from Blackburn

Last month, Spurs thought they had agreed on a deal with Rovers worth £3million up-front and a further £2m in adds-ons, and Phillips travelled to Hotspur Way to undergo a medical, only for Blackburn to increase the price tag to £9.5m (£5m plus £4.5m) at the last minute (Evening Standard).

Rovers’ plan backfired after a clause in Phillips’ contract allowed him to leave for just £2million by yesterday if a higher bid was not received before the deadline, which has seen Spurs land him for less than originally planned (The Sun).

Phillips joins Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison and Manor Solomon in joining Spurs this summer, while Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski also saw their loan spells turned into permanent transfers.

SpursWeb Opinion

Phillips is one of the brightest young central defenders in the country and certainly bodes well for the future, it will be interesting to see whether Ange Postecoglou keeps him around this season or decides a loan spell away is in the best interests of his development.

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Spurs had previously assumed they had reached a deal with the Championship side last month and had even booked his medical, only for Blackburn to move the goalposts and try to extract more money from Tottenham by demanding an initial £5m fee plus £4.5m in add-ons.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Spurs on verge of deal for Ashley Phillips

Blackburn’s decision now appears to have backfired on them due to a release clause in Phillips’ contract allowing him to leave for a £2million fee with the period for other clubs to submit their bid ending on Friday.

Tottenham are also said to be closing in on a deal for Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven with the two clubs close to reaching a deal for the Dutch Under-21 international after weeks of speculation (Fabrizio Romano).

Despite looking to get a deal over the line for Phillips, Tottenham are attempting to bring in two central defenders to bolster Ange Postecoglou‘s defensive options.

SpursWeb Opinion

Phillips is regarded as one for the future and for a £2m fee, it could prove to be a bargain in the future.  However, for the time being the focus among many fans is on the club to try to secure a deal not only for van de Ven, but also for another senior defender wo can improve the starting eleven and allow the likes of Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga to head of out of the exit in N17 on a permanent basis.

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The report explains that Spurs initially thought they had a deal wrapped up for Phillips last month when they struck an agreement with Rovers worth an initial £3m up-front and a further £2m in adds-on.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

The teenager is even said to have travelled to Hotspur Way for a medical before the Championship suddenly pulled the plug on the deal.

It is explained that they raised their asking price to £9.5m in the hope that they could spark a bidding war before a release clause of £2m becomes active this Friday.

Spurs are set to sign Ashley Phillips this week

However, Blackburn’s strategy backfired as no rival club entered the race for Phillips, who is said to be determined to complete a move to Tottenham.

The report adds that the Ewood Park hierarchy are still hoping to include a series of add-ons in the deal to take the 18-year-old to Spurs so that the Lilywhites might eventually end up paying about £6.5m for the youngster.

Spurs Web Opinion

Phillips would be an astute signing as there is no doubt about his potential but he is one for the future rather than someone who would improve our starting eleven straight away.

So, Spurs fans will continue to be restless until they see a couple of top-class centre-backs come through the door.

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Ashley Phillips emerged as a potential new signing for Tottenham earlier this month, and it appeared the deal was all set to go through pretty quickly. However, that move began to stall, and was even at risk of collapsing entirely (Alan Nixon on Patreon).

Where the 18-year-old will be playing football next season remains to be seen, but it is believed Spurs are still confident they can get a deal over the line for Phillips despite the delays (The Athletic).

His current manager at Blackburn Rovers, Jon Dahl Tomasson, recently told the Lancashire Telegraph that he expects the player to move on this summer, but insisted no agreement has been put in place just yet.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Spurs could secure bargain deal for Ashley Phillips

According to a report in The Sun, the matter should become a lot clearer within the next week, as Spurs are biding their time to unlock a clause in Phillips’ contract which would allow them to snap up the promising centre-half for just £2m.

Apparently, if no one has snapped up Phillips by Friday 4th August, the youngster will be allowed to leave in a cut-price deal worth £2m.

Spurs hope to take advantage of this, but there is a catch – if another club make an offer before Friday, Tottenham would have to match that to remain in the race.

Blackburn, meanwhile, are hoping for a deal worth around £9.45m. The Championship side would like an initial £5m, with various add-ons and up to ten different bonus payments.

One such clause would involve Spurs paying £250,000 in the first two seasons after Phillips’ proposed move should the player appear in more than half of the Lilywhites’ Premier League games.

The same amount would be paid again if Phillips were to feature in more than half of any European competition for Spurs.

It remains to be seen whether another club will come in with a bid and scupper Spurs’ hopes of a cheap deal. Newcastle United are mentioned in the report as potential suitors for Phillips.

Spurs Web Opinion

If we can just hold out until Friday, then we are going to get ourselves a real bargain here.

Either way, Spurs are in the driving seat, because if another team did bid for Phillips we would either match it or walk away anyway, so we may as well see what happens and hope for the £2m clause to be activated.

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Tottenham’s defensive issues were well-documented last season and it was no surprise when Ange Postecoglou recently indicated to his new club that he wants to sign a centre-half this summer (90 Min).

Big names like Edmond Tapsoba and Micky van de Ven have been touted as the top targets for Spurs so far as analysis has indicated they would be a perfect fit for the North London side (Football.London).

While fixing the here and now is a priority for Spurs this summer, the club also appears to be looking to the future, also. Blackburn‘s Ashley Phillips was believed to be on the verge of signing for the Lilywhites earlier this month but the deal came close to collapsing (Alan Nixon’s Patreon).

The transfer for Phillips may not have gone through just yet, but Tottenham are apparently confident they can still secure the signature of the 18-year-old star (The Athletic).

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Spurs have no agreement for Ashley Phillips

According to Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, the young defender is very likely to leave the Championship side this summer, but nothing has been agreed as of yet.

Tomasson told the Lancashire Telegraph: “The chances are big that the boy will probably be going to a good side. He is a great player, he will have a great future. But there is not an agreement at the moment.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Hopefully, we can get this deal over the line sooner rather than later and put the situation to bed. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if Phillips didn’t join us this summer, but we really do not want to let him go to another club instead as he is a top prospect for the future.

Philips was not in action for Blackburn yesterday as they suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Spanish outfit Girona.

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Phillips, who caught the eye after breaking into Blackburn’s senior side last season, has emerged as a target for Spurs.

However, over the last couple of days, reports indicated that the deal was at risk of collapsing after the Championship side increased their asking price (Alan Nixon – Patreon).

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Deal still on for Ashley Phillips to Tottenham

Football.London have now reported that despite the deal stalling, the negotiations between Spurs and Blackburn have not completely broken down at the moment.

The report claims that the Ewood Park hierarchy are demanding a ‘hefty amount’ in add-ons, which is now the sticking point between the two clubs.

Meanwhile, The Athletic have offered a more detailed explanation of why the negotiations have hit a roadblock. 

They state that Spurs initially thought they had a deal in place for a fee of £3m plus a further £2m in add-ons. However, Blackburn are now allegedly demanding a fee of £5m for Phillips with an additional £4.5m in add-ons.

The publication adds that despite the difference in the two club’s valuations, there is still confidence that a compromise can be reached.

Spurs Web Opinion

Given Blackburn’s financial position, Tottenham would know that the Championship club would ideally want to cash in on Phillips.

However, Spurs will certainly be wary of paying over the odds for a player who is still very much a raw talent and not even an established performer in the Championship as of yet.

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As is always the case when a new manager comes into a football club, there is a chance for every single player to make their mark.

Those previously outcast could find a fresh start, while young talents have an opportunity to show they are ready for the next level.

TELFORD, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: Alfie Dorrington of Tottenham Hotspur U21 runs past Nathan Fraser of Wolves during Premier League 2 match between Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 AND Tottenham Hotspur U21 at New Bucks Head Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Telford, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou‘s arrival at Tottenham has certainly felt like the start of a very positive new era for those associated with the club.

The Australian is using this pre-season tour to assess a variety of players in his squad, and there is expected to be ample opportunities offered to younger players.

As for the season ahead, it remains to be seen which players will survive the summer transfer window and find a place in Postecoglou’s first-team squad for the 2023/24 campaign.

Alfie Dorrington could be given a chance

According to a report from Football.London, it is suggested that Spurs youngster Alfie Dorrington could be one of those players who can make a breakthrough under Postecoglou in the forthcoming season.

The 18-year-old recently signed a new contract with Spurs to keep him at the club until 2026 and, after a series of promising displays for the youth team last term, there are high hopes for Dorrington’s future.

The report states Dorrington is someone who Postecoglou is “expected to look at this season” and could be set to “make the step up” to the senior squad at some point this year.

However, it is thought the potential of arrival of Ashley Phillips could have some impact on Dorrington’s “pathway” to the first team.

If the deal for Phillips is finalised, he is expected to join up with the first team for the remainder of the pre-season tour.

Spurs Web Opinion

It is no bad thing to have two excellent young centre-backs vying for a chance in the first-team at Spurs.

We shouldn’t expect too much from the pair at this stage, but both Dorrington and Phillips should be given some opportunities here or there this season.

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Phillips broke into Blackburn’s senior side last season, making a total of 14 appearances across all competitions for the Championship side (Transfermarkt).

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

The 18-year-old is considered by many to be one of the most promising defensive talents in his age group across the country, with the teenager also having impressed in his outings for England’s Under-19s.

It was reported by The Daily Mirror’s James Nursey on Tuesday Tottenham were looking to take advantage of Blackburn’s financial cut-backs by landing the centre back on the cheap.

This was also backed up by Alasdair Gold, who subsequently said via Football.London that Spurs are expected to finalise Phillips’ capture in a deal worth around £3m.

The journalist added that the centre-back is expected to board a flight to join Ange Postecoglou‘s senior squad in Asia after signing on the dotted line.

Tottenham’s Phillips deal is now under threat

However, if Nixon’s latest update is t be believed, Tottenham’s move for Phillips could be set to collapse.

The reporter explains that the youngster already completed his medical at Hotspur Way but the Lilywhites are yet to meet Blackburn’s valuation for the defender.

The Lancashire club are demanding a fee of £5m plus add-ons for their academy graduate while there is also a disagreement on the wording of a release clause in the player’s contract.

Spurs Web Opinion

Phillips appears to have all the raw materials one looks for in a modern-day centre-back, being good in the air, technically adept with both feet and having a decent turn of pace. 

However, there is no guarantee that he would fulfil his potential at the highest level and Tottenham might hesitate to pay £5m-plus for a player with only a handful of Championship appearances. 

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At just 18 years of age, Ashley Phillips looks set to go to the very top of the game. The talented centre-half has been tracked by Tottenham for a while now (Evening Standard).

Despite his age, Phillips has already made a big impression with Championship side Blackburn Rovers, and is one of the most highly-rated young, English centre-halves around.

So, here’s everything there is to know about the new Spurs starlet.

(Photo by Mick Walker – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Name: Ashley Phillips
Age: 18-years-old
Place of birth: England
Current club: Blackburn Rovers
Former clubs: N/A
International appearances: 6 caps for England U19s (Transfermarkt)
Club appearances: 14 senior appearances (Transfermarkt)

Ashley Phillips’ career stats

The 2022/23 campaign was a breakthrough year for Ashley Phillips as he made his debut for Blackburn Rovers. The youngster started four consecutive Championship games in August 2022, but was then used sparingly throughout the rest of the season.

By the end of last term, Phillips had turned out eight times in the Championship (Transfermarkt). He also played a part in Blackburn’s run to the FA Cup quarter-finals, and was involved in the League Cup, too. Due to his involvement with the first team, Phillips spent a lot less time with the Blackburn Rovers development side.

On the international stage, Phillips played every minute for England under-19s as they looked to qualify for the European Championships. He also featured for England under-18s in three friendlies (Transfermarkt).

Ashley Phillips’ strengths and weaknesses

Ashley Phillips is fantastic at reading the game from defensive areas and always seems to be in the right place at the right time to make a key interception or block. The timing of his tackles are a real strong point for Phillips, and he is often very calm and composed when faced with a 1v1 situation.

That composure serves Phillips well when he has the ball at his feet, too. The young defender has no issue with picking up the ball and carrying it out of defence. That skill set will serve him well if and when he breaks into Ange Postecoglou‘s first team at Tottenham, as the Australian prefers ball-playing centre-halves.

It is difficult to pick out weaknesses in Phillips’ game at this stage, as he is so young. The only discernible downside to the 18-year-old right now is that he can be prone to minor injury issues, but that is fairly normal for a young man growing into his body and playing sports at such a high level.

What are people saying about Ashley Phillips?

Former Blackburn boss, Tony Mowbray, previously described Phillips as a “phenomenal young boy” who has “every attribute” you could want from a defender (Lancs Live).

The centre-back has been generating plenty of buzz in the Spurs Community fan forums, too, with supporters comparing Phillips to Virgil van Dijk due to his physical presence and ball-carrying ability.

We should not expect too much from Phillips just yet, however. Given his age and relative inexperience, this is a “signing for the future,” as Fabrizio Romano put it.

What do The Spurs Web think?

This should be a fantastic investment for Tottenham, as long as we nurture Phillips correctly. He has so much potential and could become one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League one day.

He should spend a year with our development side to acquaint himself with the club, and then look at a loan spell in 2024.

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