Tottenham Hotspur look set to release academy talent Leon Myrtaj this summer.
Myrtaj’s contract will run down at the end of the season and Spurs are not believed to have offered him a professional deal, a bitter blow for the 18-year-old forward.
The London-born ace has been on the club’s books since the age of seven and steadily worked his way through the youth set-up, rising into the Under-18s.
This season, he has made 13 U-18 Premier League appearances, registering three assists.
However, despite his good performances, Spurs are still poised to let Myrtaj go.
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Leon Myrtaj running out of time to force U-turn
Academy football has garnered a brutal reputation for scooping up youngsters before spitting them out, leaving them without a club and wondering what happens next.
Indeed, less than one per cent of academy players are offered a professional deal at Premier League sides in the UK. Sadly, Myrtaj now risks walking that uncertain path.
However, releasing him so prematurely is a mistake.
He is a tricky winger, blessed with good ability on the ball, a strong turn of pace and a reasonable end product that simply needs to be honed.
Spurs supporters have also now cottoned on to his unfortunate situation, with one X user writing on Saturday: “This Myrtaj kid in our academy is sick. Wtf.”
He has proven himself at almost every age range, having netted 13 goals for the U-16s in 2023-24. He is also a U-17 international for Albania, but has switched allegiance to Hungary.
Perhaps there is still time for Tottenham to correct this looming mistake, but the odds are not in his favour. Roberto De Zerbi‘s appointment has also done little to trigger a U-turn.
Why might Tottenham release Myrtaj?
For academy figures at Spurs, it simply appears to be a numbers game.
Mikey Moore has caught the eye during his loan spell at Rangers and is the same age as Myrtaj. Tynan Thompson is also set for a bright future and plays in the same position.
In the lower age categories, Melvyn Kabongolo and Kaiden Burke are two forwards progressing well, with both tipped to go on to make an impact in the first-team.
It is deeply unfortunate for Myrtaj that he faces such stiff competition for very few places. His ability and potential mean Tottenham would do well to reconsider letting him go.