Archie Gray signing with Tottenham makes for interesting EFL stat
By Tom Vinall
It has become a common theme for Tottenham to sign the EFL (English Football League) young player of the season in recent seasons.
The signing of Archie Gray makes it four in the last ten seasons, with Dele Alli (2015), Ryan Sessegnon (2018) and Brennan Johnson (2022).
After Dele, Gray becomes the second of the four players to join immediately after winning the award. Emphasis on join there, as Dele had technically signed for the club a few months before he won, before being loaned back for the rest of the season.
Sessengnon and Johnson both joined a year later, with both winning promotion with their respective clubs in the same season, and having one year in the Premier League with Fulham and Nottingham Forest respectively.
Dele also got promoted, but to the Championship rather than the Premier League. Gray fell at the final hurdle in the play-off final with Leeds.
Spurs have been criticized for their lack of Championship recruitment, but this is a good sign that does deserve acknowledging.
READ MORE: Tottenham ends talks with Serie A side over right-back transfer
Dele was an instant hit, despite as being mentioned above coming from League One, and the seasons that followed were largely out of his control. Ryan Sessegnon was seen as many as an elite talent and the injury nightmares that followed could not have been foreseen.
Brennan Johnson showed signs of a top player last season, despite perhaps not having the most consistent season. The jury is still out, but so far has not proved to be a terrible signing and still had time to grow and develop under Ange Postecoglu.
Other recent winners include Ollie Watkins (2017), Jude Bellingham (2020), and Michael Olise (2021). Three players that would, without question, make Spurs a much better side.
The 2023 winner, Alex Scott, then of Bristol City and now of AFC Bournemouth, had several links to Spurs and is a documented Spurs fan too.
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Sign Championship players.