At the start of last season, I would have expected Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray to be on this list for 2025/26. No chance after the season they had. Due to injuries and on occasion form, both played far more than expected last season. Bergvall has a legitimate case for a starter each week. And after Gray’s versatility last season, Thomas Frank played him further forward against Arsenal recently.
This leaves striker and goalkeeper as a couple of the few remaining options to get him more minutes in a new position. I also would have put Mikey Moore in this group, but having already completed a loan move to Rangers, I am expecting him to get some good experience there, both domestically and in Europe.
Instead, here are three very promising players who will benefit greatly from more minutes next season. I would have liked all three to get those minutes as part of the first team squad, but football.london reports that all three are available for loans already. This can also be fine, if they play at the loan clubs, of course.
Luka Vuskovic
Vuskovic has already had two necessary loan spells and recently made an appearance for the Croatia national team in a world cup qualifier. Given his experience already at such a young age, clear ability, number of games we hope to have this season, and the recent injury history of our central defenders I would be reluctant to loan Vuskovic out.
If he is not going to be in Thomas Frank’s plans this season, though, then a loan is sensible. Vuskovic has been playing consistently and if he is to be loaned out, then a championship team to gain experience in English football would be ideal.
Will Lankshear
In recent years, Tottenham seemed to actively try not to have two “out-and-out strikers” in the squad. For years, it looked like Harry Kane was our only one. Fernando Llorente being an honorable exception, we have recently favored players who can also play in a deeper role or out wide. I had hoped this was changing when Lankshear made a few appearances last season and scored in a particularly tricky game against Galatasaray (I know, a red card followed).
This goal did not provide a springboard for any run in the squad, though, and a loan to West Brom was to follow. This was not a particularly successful loan, either in terms of goals (zero) or appearances (often as a substitute).
Lankshear is a traditional center forward, and that gives us something different. He needs minutes, and while I think the better development here would be as a squad player backing up Dominic Solanke, if this isn’t to happen, then getting the right loan is critical. Championship preferred, and a loan to Oxford United is looking likely.
Jamie Donley
I have made the case for Donley to be part of the squad this season. As per the other two players on this list, a loan looks far more likely, and his season at Leyton Orient was too good for him not to build on it again. Last season, we sometimes seemed to struggle for creativity in the middle of the field.
Part of this may have been Ange’s tactics to play wide so often, but even in pre-season, we have looked a little too easy to defend against. James Maddison’s injury is a huge blow to this as well. Donley offers us a chance to experiment in this position.
Loans do look more likely for all three players and there is a huge value in that as well. There are senior players that would be considered ahead and so minutes might be hard to come by. There is a concern, however, that other clubs are becoming more successful at integrating youth team players, and it is true that we don’t really know how they will perform until given the chance on a consistent basis (instead of 2-minute substitute appearances or as part of a wholesale weakened League cup team). If loans are the way forward for a number of younger players this season, let’s hope we prioritize opportunities in the first team squad for the longer term.