If the truth be told, Tottenham’s Ryan Mason isn’t really a youngster any more with the Spurs midfielder now 24-years-old.
But in terms of his first team football experience, Nottingham Forest at home in the Capital One Cup last season marked the night in which he finally staked his claim for a regular place in the centre of Spurs’ midfield and in fairness to Mason, he hasn’t looked back since.
Having completed five separate loan switches to Yeovil Town, Doncaster Rovers, Millwall, Lorient and Swindon Town prior to making the breakthrough last term, Mason looked like a player who was simply destined for a permanent exit to a Championship or League One outfit.
But after coming off the bench to initially spark the comeback that saw Spurs overcome Forest in the League Cup last season, his career has been turned upon its head, so much so that he even made his senior international debut with England against Italy back in March.
Partnering Nabil Bentaleb as Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred deep lying midfield duo when everybody is fit at present, Mason will look to improve his game yet again next term but who else could be emulating his meteoric rise at Spurs over the course of the next few seasons?
We’re taking a look at five men – or boys – who might just be following suit.
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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 Tottenham youngsters to follow Ryan Mason into Spurs’ first team.
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Cameron Carter-Vickers
Neutrals may not know anything about Cameron Carter-Vickers but we’re sure hardened Tottenham supporters know just how promising this young centre back is.
A 17-year-old centre back, Carter-Vickers was born in Southend-on-Sea but plays his international football for the United States with senior coach Jurgen Klinsmann already reportedly monitoring his progress closely.
Also forging part of The Telegraph’s 35 hottest prospects in English football feature earlier this year, Carter-Vickers is a player who is likely to forge a part of a Spurs first team’s matchday squad sooner rather than later.
Standing at 6 ft 1 in, Carter-Vickers is a domineering presence despite his years and when you consider Spurs also have the likes of Eric Dier as an up-and-coming prospect, Tottenham’s future defence could look very mean.
Dele Alli
Having reached an agreement to sign Dele Alli from Milton Keynes Dons back in January before loaning him back to Stadium:MK, Spurs fans can now truly consider this hot prospect their own.
Despite being just 19-years-old, Alli is rather experienced for players of this age bracket given the fact MK Dons handed him his professional debut back in the 2012/13 campaign ahead of him going on to rack up a total of 62 appearances for Karl Robinson’s side.
With Paulinho and Etienne Capoue having departed White Hart Lane so far this summer, the central midfield area looks more bare but Alli could give Spurs fans reason to believe that they don’t necessarily need to spend big on the likes of Everton’s James McCarthy.
While Tottenham fans would like to see this area reinforced, Alli is a midfielder who can do a bit of everything.
He is 6 ft 2 in so is up for a battle but don’t let this distort from the fact that he can play a bit as well. After all, he wasn’t nicknamed the ‘new Steven Gerrard’ for no reason.
Alex Pritchard
It would be difficult to imagine what more Alex Pritchard needs to do out on loan to prove he is worth a sustained spell in the Tottenham first team at the moment.
Having enjoyed a simply fantastic 2014/15 season-long loan spell at Brentford with the Bees agonisingly crashing out to Middlesbrough in the Championship play-offs, Pritchard struck an impressive 12 goals in 45 appearances while racking up many notable assists along the way.
Getting into Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships in the Czech Republic as a result of his form in the Championship last season, Pritchard is surely ready for a go on Tottenham’s wings next season?
With Erik Lamela, Andros Townsend and Nacer Chadli awfully inconsistent, Pritchard who is a diminutive and tricky character really needs to be knocking on Mauricio Pochettino’s door begging for his big chance.
Josh Onomah
Josh Onomah has been one of Spurs’ most highly-rated young players in the academy for a little while now but he still waits patiently for a sustained spell in Tottenham’s first team reckoning.
An unused substitute on a number of occasions in his fledgling career to date, Onomah did get some game time in Spurs’ FA Cup replay against Burnley last season in which he replaced Andros Townsend for the final 15 minutes at White Hart Lane.
Capable of playing on the flanks or more favourably infield as an attack-minded midfielder, Onomah’s main strengths are his dribbling, pace and strength.
It seems Onomah is not only highly-rated by the hierarchy at Spurs but also Daily Mirror journo Martin Lipton who tipped the midfielder to forge part of England’s 2018 World Cup squad in a feature he compiled back in July 2014.
Nathan Oduwa
An England Under-18 international with Nigerian heritage, Nathan Oduwa is another young Spurs prospect who is highly rated at White Hart Lane.
Still just 19-years-old, Oduwa managed to secure some invaluable experience in securing his first taste of first team football on loan in League Two with Luton Town last term.
Performing 11 times for the Hatters, Luton boss John Still said of Oduwa following his debut against Oxford United: “Nathan coming on for his Football League debut, he looked dangerous, and I think he’ll be glad he’s got that out of the way.
“That will give him a little bit of an extra edge for the next time he plays.”
A winger by trade, Oduwa will be earmarking the early rounds of this season’s Capital One Cup as a potential chance to grab a place on Mauricio Pochettino’s substitutes bench although the Argentine might be lining up another loan switch for the player.
