Tottenham Hotspur’s academy player Alfie Dorrington might receive an opportunity to prove himself in the Europa League group stages following the exclusion of Djed Spence from the squad. According to Gold, the omission of Spence could open doors for the 19-year-old centre-back Dorrington to be included in the team’s plans, particularly given the current constraints faced by Tottenham.
In the context of the Europa League, UEFA regulations mandate that each club must include at least four club-trained players among the eight homegrown players allowed in their 25-man squad. Tottenham, under the management of Ange Postecoglou, faced a challenge in meeting this requirement. The only club-trained players available were Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman. This limitation forced Postecoglou to reduce the squad size by two, resulting in the exclusion of both Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon.
Gold’s analysis suggests that the absence of Spence may lead to a shortage of defensive options for Postecoglou, potentially prompting him to consider giving Dorrington a chance to feature in upcoming matches. The journalist notes that Dorrington, who is a ball-playing centre-back, has recently returned from a lengthy injury and might be in a position to make a significant impact if Tottenham’s defensive lineup encounters further injuries.
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Currently, Tottenham’s Europa League squad includes only six senior defenders: Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Radu Dragusin, Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie, and Ben Davies. This limited roster heightens the possibility of Dorrington being called upon to provide additional support.
While some observers, such as those writing for Spurs Web, express skepticism about Dorrington’s chances of playing in the Europa League, they acknowledge that he might be given a place on the bench. It is anticipated that Tottenham’s centre-back pairing for the group-stage games will primarily consist of Romero, van de Ven, Dragusin, and Davies.
