Jorthy Mokio is an up-and-coming Belgian professional footballer, widely regarded as one of the most talented defenders of his generation. He honed his skills playing street football on asphalt, which sharpened his technical abilities and instilled a resilient, competitive edge: “Street football teaches you a lot. You practice your technique, dish out and take.”
At 17 years old, Mokio is described as a wonder kid with exceptional composure under pressure, strong defensive instincts, and an ability to contribute offensively
Despite being under contract until 2027, the defender is reportedly unconvinced by Ajax’s current sporting project and is looking to take a bigger step in his career. Talks over a contract extension have stalled, and the Dutch club may struggle to keep hold of him.
Manchester United are leading the chase, viewing Mokio as a long-term investment and considering a move in January. Tottenham, Newcastle United, and Eintracht Frankfurt are also closely monitoring the situation. These clubs are working on projects that could offer Mokio guaranteed minutes and a clear development path. As of November 2025, Mokio wears shirt number 24 for Ajax in the Eredivisie.
For the player, game time and trust from the coaching staff will matter more than the financial package. He’s not looking to be just another academy signing — he wants to join a setup where he can contribute to the first team sooner rather than later.
Chelsea and Liverpool showed interest earlier, but they’ve stepped back for now. Ajax are preparing a final offer to keep him, but Mokio’s determination to move forward might make that effort too late.
Conclusion
Unsurprisingly, I take the view that Tottenham need to lay off the hunt for the next big thing and focus on our starting XI, as there are far too many players simply milling about in the squad who were also heavily tipped, but simply don’t have what it takes.
The Lewis Family have a unique opportunity to take the club in a new direction. So my advice would be to start selling the failures and buy ready-to-go players.