Bigger star than Gray: Spurs are brewing "one of England's best talents"

It wasn’t quite Gareth Bale against Inter Milan, although Archie Gray‘s midweek Champions League performance felt like the latest breakout display by a young Tottenham Hotspur talent.

The all-action midfielder was a joy to watch up against an experienced Atletico Madrid side, with his stellar showing acknowledged by a certain Marcos Llorente, who made a beeline for the 20-year-old amid his exit from the stage.

There’s no greater praise than that of a rival, with Gray finally being allowed the chance to blossom in his favoured midfield role, after so long plugging gaps and holes defensively under both Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou.

Once the golden boy of Leeds United, the Englishman looks like the shining light in a struggling Spurs side. Hopefully, there’s plenty more to come, both from Gray and from within Tottenham’s academy structure.

The next young talents to look out for at Spurs

Wednesday night may have seen the likes of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero welcomed back into the fold, although it was a night that belonged to Igor Tudor’s youthful core, with Gray, Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons all coming to the party in that deserved 3-2 win.

The Lilywhites’ continued list of absentees also allowed 19-year-old Callum Olesusi another opportunity off the bench, with the teenager putting in an assured display in that cameo.

The promising playmaker has been a regular fixture in the matchday squad in recent weeks, as too has James Rowswell, with the 19-year-old defender notably scoring three goals in ten U21 Premier League games this season.

Hopes are also high for January arrival, James Wilson, with the ex-Hearts striker having already scored eight goals in 45 senior games back in Edinburgh, while since making his way onto the bench under Tudor.

Heading into next season too, Spurs will be able to welcome back a raft of youngsters who are currently shining out on loan, with Luka Vuskovic and Mikey Moore the notable success stories of 2025/26, amid their stints at Hamburg and Rangers, respectively.

Possible Spurs XI – 2026/27
Position	Player
GK	Vicario*
RB	Porro*
CB	Vuskovic
CB	Van de Ven
LB	Spence*
CM	Bergvall
CM	Gray
RM	Kudus
AM	Simons
LM	Moore
ST	Solanke*
*Sign replacement/upgrade

20-year-old centre-forward, Will Lankshear, has scored eight Championship goals on loan at Oxford United, while Camden-born Tyrese Hall has netted six times on loan at Notts County, with so many loan moves having paid off for the north London side.

Plenty of reason for excitement then, although arguably Spurs’ biggest talent is still waiting for his proper chance at senior level.

Spurs are brewing an even bigger talent than Archie Gray

The records tumbled in midweek, with Gray becoming the fourth-youngest Englishman to register an assist in a Champions League knockout game, while also edging Dele Alli by starting the most Champions League games by a Spurs player before the age of 21 (seven).

Tudor must bench 68-touch Spurs star who was embarrassed by Archie Gray

Archie Gray was a class above as Spurs secured a deserved 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid.

If anyone of the current Tottenham ranks is to better such statistics in the years to come, you’d certainly hang your hat on it being 17-year-old, Luca Williams-Barnett.

Now, the promising teenager – who is currently sidelined with injury – has actually only made a solitary first-team appearance to date, making a three-minute cameo in the Carabao Cup win over Doncaster Rovers.

A second opportunity hasn’t followed since then, although the England youth star has been included in senior matchday squads this season, with another appearance surely in the reckoning.

Indeed, his record at youth level, be it from a left-wing berth or as a number ten, is seriously impressive, with Williams-Barnett netting 23 goals in 28 U18 Premier League games, as well as a further six in just ten Premier League 2 appearances.

Across all competitions in 2025/26 alone, the young diamond has scored 16 goals and contributed eight assists, rubberstamping why analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson has described him as “one of England’s best talents at youth level”.

In the view of Mattinson too, there will be something of a north London battle in the future between Williams-Barnett and Arsenal’s 16-year-old sensation, Max Dowman, a further indication of the type of talent Spurs have on their hands.

Dowman, a scorer against Everton last weekend, looks like England’s next golden boy on current evidence, but the Tottenham starlet could enter the conversation soon enough, be it before the end of the season or next term.

Gray – alongside Tel and Simons – could be the driving force behind survival at N17 in the present, although the next permanent Spurs manager could soon be building his team around Williams-Barnett instead.

Of course, patience and a sense of realism is needed with any player aged just 17, but this is undoubtedly a talent worth getting exciting about. Watch this space.