Ashley Phillips’ long-term future may lie away from Tottenham.
Phillips began his youth career at National League North side Curzon Ashton before joining Blackburn Rovers at 12 years old.
Tottenham signed the defender in 2023, and he has since blossomed into a promising talent. After successful loan spells with Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City, Phillips‘ transfer value could soon skyrocket.
Phillips’ transfer value could rise to £15million
Tottenham have made good use of young players in recent seasons.
Mikey Moore became a source of inspiration for Spurs’ academy hopefuls as the 17-year-old became a UEFA Europa League winner last season, and Phillips will hope to make a similar impact in the first team.
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According to the print edition of The Sun on Sunday (29 June, pg. 57), Thomas Frank is keen on the idea of including Phillips in his plans.
However, should Tottenham hesitate to promote the centre-back, Sheffield United are waiting to secure his signature, with the Blades ready to pay £6million.
But Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Phillips should be loaned out next season, not sold.
“Yes, we do have a lot of centre-backs on the books at the moment,” Wenham said.
“However, I think Phillips is one more loan away from seeing that value rise from £6m to £15m-plus. Every loan he’s been on, he’s been in the first team and not looked out of place.
“Stoke fans loved him, he was well-liked at Plymouth, where he was named Young Player of the Year. I think he needs one more loan, either at the top end of the Championship or in the Premier League, and his value will rise to £15m.
“Tottenham bought him for £2m, so it might be tempting to sell him for £6m, as that’s technically 200 per cent profit. However, he’s one loan away from his value rising exponentially. Therefore, Tottenham should look to loan him out, not sell him.”
Tottenham should evaluate Phillips during pre-season
Tottenham should still evaluate Phillips during pre-season, despite claims of his value rising if he were to be loaned.
Football has seen several young defenders climb through the ranks at the biggest clubs. Connor Bradley shocked spectators in the Champions League last season with his performances against Kylian Mbappe. Meanwhile, Pau Cubrasi has been excellent for Barcelona since his debut.
There is a willingness to trust young players now more than ever, and Tottenham could benefit from continuing to do so.