Tottenham Hotspur have had a number of players out on loan over the past 12 months and now a decision must be made on their futures.
Tottenham have sent plenty of players on loan in the past couple of seasons to give them regular game time. However, even with increased experience, not every player has what it takes to make it at the reigning Europa League champions.
We will now take a look at each returning loanee and decide whether they should be kept, sold, or loaned out again ahead of next season:
Tottenham Hotspur’s 14 returning loan players: What next?
Alejo Veliz
Tottenham have rejected a loan offer for Veliz, with a permanent sale preferred. This is understandable, after he only scored one league goal in 27 La Liga appearances last season. However, he did score a hat-trick in a Copa Del Rey match against San Tirso.
Despite this, Veliz does not appear to be the clinical striker Spurs need. SELL
Alfie Devine
Alfie Devine has recently been linked with Sheffield United, but it would be a shame if he was sold without being given an opportunity in the Tottenham first-team squad. He has recently been on loan at Westerlo in Belgium, where he scored six goals in 30 league appearances.
The former Wigan Athletic youth player turns 21 in August and has already been on loan in League One, the Championship and abroad. Now is the right time to test him at Tottenham to see if he is good enough. If not, he can be sold next summer, but in the meantime, he would help make up Tottenham’s homegrown player numbers. KEEP
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Alfie Dorrington
Even when Ange Postecoglou had no centre-backs available, he refused to start Dorrington. Since then, the youngster has gone on to become a Scottish Cup winner, although he did score an own goal in the final.
Despite Aberdeen’s cup success, their league form was a different story, and Dorrington was part of a defence which conceded a fair few goals. Dorrington’s lowest point was when he was sent off during a 5-1 home defeat to Celtic in May.
The 20-year-old should be handed a full-season loan spell, which could be in the Championship. However, if Aberdeen wanted him back, he would have the chance to play European football. LOAN
Ashley Phillips
Phillips made 39 appearances in all competitions for Stoke City last season. This was his second loan spell in the Championship, as he represented Plymouth Argyle the season before.
Keeping Phillips at Tottenham would likely have some benefits, but having both he and Luka Vuskovic at the club might not allow either player to have much game time. Spurs should look to give Phillips another loan, but this time with a team who have a shot at promotion, rather than one fighting relegation.
It’s time for Bryan Gil to leave Spurs
Bryan Gil
Gil’s stats from the past season sum him up perfectly. The Spaniard registered goals and three assists in 32 appearances. This is not terrible, but it is certainly not good enough to warrant him receiving another chance at Spurs. He has shown he is not physical enough to play in the Premier League and overall, he is just very average.
Gil arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Tottenham paid more than £20m for him, as well as offering Sevilla Erik Lamela. This turned out to be a complete waste of money and selling him this summer is a must! SELL
George Abbott
Abbott was nominated for League Two Young Player of the Season after a positive season at Notts County. The midfielder scored six goals and collected seven assists in 45 appearances. As well as this, Abbott won the EFL goal of the season award.
Getting the 19-year-old a loan move higher up the football pyramid is the best move for his development at this moment in time. LOAN
Jamie Donley
Thomas Frank could welcome Donley into the Tottenham first-team after a successful loan spell at Leyton Orient, where he achieved eight goals and 10 assists in League One. Better still, Donley won the Leyton Orient player of the year award.
He could well be loaned out again, but it would be interesting to see Donley trusted to be given the chance to take a big step up. KEEP
Josh Keeley
Like Donley, Keeley had an impressive season at Leyton Orient. A loan move back to the O’s might have been the best option had they been promoted, but this was not the case after a play-off final defeat to Charlton Athletic.
Spurs should look to sort another loan deal for the Irish shot-stopper, but no lower than the Championship. He is certainly not yet ready to challenge for a spot in the first-team squad, as the goalkeeping position is highly congested. LOAN
Luca Gunter
The last thing Spurs need is another academy graduate who sits around for years without playing a single game. Alfie Whiteman is finally gone and while Brandon Austin was given a start last season, he is unlikely to feature in many matchday squads next season.
Spurs may wish to keep Gunter as a homegrown player, but he should be loaned out again to develop. His recent spell away from Tottenham was at Wealdstone in the National League, so he is never going to get a game if he stays in North London. Spurs should do what is best for their goalkeeper and loan him out again next season. LOAN
Luka Vuskovic needs Tottenham minutes
Luka Vuskovic
Thomas Frank wants to assess Luka Vuskovic before making a decision on his future. This seems sensible, as the giant centre-back has had a great season at Westerlo, where he scored seven goals in the Belgian Pro League – which is not bad for a defender!
Vuskovic is now part of the senior setup of the Croatia national team, a testament to his highly promising performances. Another loan move could be on the cards, but it would be good to see the 18-year-old get some minutes in the first team next season. KEEP
Manor Solomon
Solomon’s Tottenham career never got going and it is difficult to see why he was ever signed in the first place, considering he has not been given an opportunity to impress. Despite being linked with a move away from the club, Thomas Frank wants to give Solomon a chance in pre-season.
The 25-year-old had a good season on loan at Leeds United, bagging 22 goal contributions in the Championship. However, the Premier League is a different standard and Spurs already have Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson on the right and Mathys Tel and Heung-min Son on the left.
Cashing in on Solomon seems like the best decision, considering he could end up as Tottenham’s third-choice winger. SELL
Matthew Craig
Craig was on loan in League One last season, most recently for Mansfield Town. He is out of contract next summer and recently turned 22 years old. His future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium looks to be limited. SELL
Will Lankshear
Lankshear stole the headlines when he scored against Galatasaray on his first senior start in the Europa League, only to be sent off later in the game. Since then, he has not scored a single goal, including during his short-term loan spell at West Brom.
The 20-year-old only made 11 appearances for the Baggies and should be given a full season in the Championship. LOAN
Yang Min-Hyeok
Spurs supporters will want to see what Yang is capable of, as it has already been a year since Tottenham paid a Korean record fee to sign him.
However, he is still only 18 and did not do anything notable enough at QPR in the past few months which justifies putting him in the first-team. Another loan move is the best option for Yang at this point in time. LOAN