Players go out on loan for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is a young player looking to gain experience in their division, another division, or another league. In other cases, it is a transfer that has not gone as well as hoped and the player is looking for a fresh start elsewhere.
For the loan club there is the clear benefit of gaining a player without going through the transfer process. For the parent club, there has always been the benefit of getting players competitive minutes and reducing the wage bill. In recent years, receiving a loan fee has become more common, too.
The value of a loan spell for a player can vary. In the best cases, they gain first-team experience, contributing positively to their team’s performances while developing their own skills and confidence. In other cases, they sit on the bench at a different club or are unable to produce the form the loan club hoped.
This season, as any other, a series of players return to Tottenham from loan spells. One of these is Jamie Donley who spent the 2024-25 season at Leyton Orient (a loan path once taken by Harry Kane). Prior to his loan, Donley was part of a successful Spurs youth set-up, winning trophies, and made four appearances for our first team.
His time at Orient has proved to be a success as well. Orient finished sixth in League One, qualified for the play-offs and narrowly missed out on promotion after losing in the final 1-0 to Charlton. Donley was integral to that success, bringing both creativity and goals. He was voted Orient’s Player of the Season. It was Donley’s spectacular shot from almost the halfway line that gave Orient their goal in the FA Cup vs. Man City (credited as an own goal in the end). During the season, he also won international caps with Northern Ireland.
Returning from loan now, there are bound to be clubs interested in taking Donley on loan again, but I wonder if Tottenham will be brave and integrate him, and other young players, into the team this season. Previous managers have often talked about the value of playing youth team players more than they have actually played them.
Last season was better in that respect, and it would be good to see this continue under Thomas Frank. Playing consistently for a successful League One side will have brought huge benefits to Donley’s experience. Given our slow start to the transfer window, combined with our lack of creativity shown in many games last season, as well as potentially (hopefully) a packed fixture list, I hope we see Donley and others get their chance rather than go on loan again.
Harry Kane had several more loans after his Orient days. I can see that happening for Donley, too, but given his ability in both dropping off the striker, or as a goal threat himself, it feels like there is an opportunity for him (and others) in Thomas Frank's squad to show what they can do.
The phrase "like a new signing" is not one that gives fans joy, often sounding more like an excuse for inaction than anything else. So, while we do need to strengthen with new signings as well, we may benefit by being a little bolder than in previous years with our youth team this season.