Tottenham academy graduate Alfie Devine needed just seven minutes of his first Championship start to get on the scoresheet, as he helped Preston North End to a 2-1 win over Leicester City.
Alfie Devine was one of several young Tottenham Hotspur players to head out on loan earlier this month, joining Championship side Preston North End for the 2025/26 season. The move came immediately after the midfielder signed a new contract with Spurs, keeping him tied down until the summer of 2027.
Tottenham Hotspur fans will remember the academy graduate for becoming their youngest-ever first-team goalscorer when he netted on his debut in the 2021 FA Cup.
Since then, Devine has had spells at Port Vale and Plymouth Argyle, where he racked up 11 goal contributions in 41 games across two seasons.
Last season, the 21-year-old midfielder spent his time with Belgian side Westerlo, playing alongside fellow Tottenham youngster Luka Vuskovic. Tested in multiple roles across midfield, he impressed with 7 goal contributions in 32 appearances.
Devine also had a brief taste of first-team football under new Spurs boss Thomas Frank this summer. He started against Reading in Frank’s very first game in charge, standing out in the first half when he created Tottenham’s only big chance.
He also came off the bench against Luton, where he was part of the wave of youngsters that caused late problems, although Spurs were unable to find the winner.
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Ultimately, Frank felt a loan would better serve the youngster’s development, and it hasn’t taken him long to prove that was the right call.
Tottenham’s Alfie Devine makes instant impact against Leicester City
Alfie Devine’s first Championship start came in one of the toughest fixtures possible, away to former Premier League champions Leicester City, widely seen as one of the strongest sides in the division. But the Spurs loanee wasted no time in making his mark.
With just seven minutes on the clock, Devine raced through, rounded the Leicester goalkeeper and finished from a very tight angle around 20 yards out. The strike gave Preston an early lead and was later singled out for praise by manager Paul Heckingbottom.
Speaking after the match, Devine admitted he was delighted to open his account (LEP):
“Yeah, buzzing. I was questioning why he (the Leicester goalkeeper) came out at first. And then when I took it around him, obviously the angle was a bit tight and I just thought if I aim for the back post then it’s either going in, or someone’s tapping it in. Luckily, it went in.”
Preston eventually went on to seal a 2-1 win late on.
Alfie Devine looks ready to shine in the Championship
This is not Devine’s first taste of Championship football. He had a short loan spell with Plymouth last season, but he has admitted he wasn’t truly himself then. Now, after a valuable year abroad and another pre-season with Spurs, he feels ready to leave a real mark.
“My first time in the Championship, I thought that I wasn’t myself enough in a way,” he said. “I think that the game against QPR and today hopefully shows that I’m trying to prove myself a bit more in this league. It was vital (the year in Belgium). Living in another country and all that sort of stuff, I’m really glad I went there for that season.”
He’s already a fan favourite at Preston, with supporters chanting his name when he came on at Loftus Road earlier this month. Scoring on Saturday will only have made those chants even louder.
Alfie Devine looks set to finally make his big breakthrough at Championship level, and Tottenham will be watching closely as they will likely integrate him into the first team next year.