Tottenham wonderkid Luca Williams-Barnett signs first professional contract after debut | OneFootball

Highly-rated youngster commits future to Spurs after making senior bow in Carabao Cup win over Doncaster

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Tottenham wonderkid Luca Williams-Barnett has signed his first professional contract with the club.

Williams-Barnett is among the most promising young talents in the Tottenham academy and potentially anywhere in the Premier League, and recently made his senior debut for the club.

The teenager came off the bench for the final few minutes of last week’s home 3-0 Carabao Cup third-round win over League One side Doncaster Rovers.

“The attacking midfielder, who turned 17 on Wednesday, has shone in our Academy set-up in recent years, having joined us in the Under-10s.

“He was a stand-out player for our Under-18 side last season while still a schoolboy, scoring long-range goals against West Ham, Leicester City and Aston Villa, with the Leicester strike named Under-18 Premier League Goal of the Season.

“He also netted a hat-trick in our 2024/25 Under-17 Premier League Cup final success against Charlton Athletic and recently registered his first treble at Under-21 level in a 6-3 win at Leicester.

“Having been named on the bench for the first team on four occasions last term, Luca made his senior debut as a second-half substitute in last month's 3-0 home win over Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup.

“He has been capped by England at all levels between Under-15s and Under-18s to date.”

After signing his deal, Williams-Barnett said: “I’ve been here for six years. I signed at Under-10s and really just dreaming about playing for this club.”

Asked what inspired his decision to support Spurs as a youngster, he added: “[Paul] Gascoigne. He just does what he wants really. That’s what I like about him, you can’t tackle him. I like [David] Ginola. They are probably the two.

“This is a step closer to where I want to be. I’m not there yet, I’ve got a long way to go.”

Williams-Barnett has already made quite the impression at Tottenham, becoming the 9,000th player to represent the club at first-team level after being sent on late against Doncaster.

He has been mentioned alongside the likes of Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Liverpool sensation Rio Ngumoha among a new wave of potential stars of the future in the Premier League, though Thomas Frank warned that the next step would be the toughest to take.

"I think that definitely over the last many years the focus on the talent development and academies across the world is so big, so the talent pool is bigger,” the Spurs boss said after declaring himself “very happy” to have handed Williams-Barnett his senior debut.

“The talents coming through are younger and younger. One thing is the debut when you're 16. The next step, and much more important, is how Luca or other players take those steps forward.

“It's very tough to keep going and then get into the first team as a really regular player. But the first step is very important.”