The 2023/24 Tottenham Hotspur season has come to an end. It was a year of growth for Ange Postecoglou’s side as new faces, new players, and new philosophies dominated the storylines this season. In this four-part piece from White Hart Live, we will hand out our year-end grades for all the players and the gaffer himself.
If you missed part one of this summer special, be sure to go back and check it out. You can find part one here at this link.
Let’s dive into part two …
Loanees
This will be an interesting one because of the varying nature of some of our loanees. Some are talented youngsters looking for regular playing time to help their development. Others are fringe players with hopes of breaking into the first team very soon. Others seem to be players with no real future in the club but want to show they are still capable of solid performances. We will break them down here in our end-of-the-season special.
A couple of quick notes before we dive into the grades: for players like Alfie Devin and Japhet Tanganga who went on multiple loans this offseason, I will be giving a grade for loan destination. I have excluded a couple of names. Eric Dier is not included because while he is technically on loan, it will turn permanent, so the loan was just a means to an end. Lucas Bergvall and Luka Vuskovic are also not included on this list. While they have signed with the club they remained on loan with those teams. Vuskovic did go on loan in January to Polish side Radomiak Radom and had a solid showing for the club, but with sparse data available, it is hard to give an accurate grade without the combination of data and available video. Josh Keeley is also not included in this from his loan with Barnet.
Joe Rodon (Leeds United)
Joe Rodon is a big part of why Leeds is on the cusp of an immediate return to the Premier League (and may have made a return to the top flight depending on when you read this piece). The Welsh centerback has made nearly 50 appearances for the club this year and has been a fixture for the club since joining on loan this summer. Across his 4298 minutes, he completed 91% of his passes, 55% of his long balls, won 71% of his tackles and 68% of his duels, and tallied 182 recoveries on the season. Add those on top of his 7.2 average match rating (according to FotMob), and it is clear that Joe Rodon was a top performer for the club. What does this mean for his future in North London? Nothing is for certain, but I do not expect Rodon to return to Spurs this summer. With the strong seasons from van de Ven and Romero, Dragusin waiting in the wings, and some talented youngsters coming through the ranks, I just do not see Rodon playing at N17 next season in a Tottenham shirt. I would not be surprised to see him playing at N17 next season in a Leeds shirt, though.
Grade: A
Troy Parrott (Excelsior Rotterdam)
Statistically, this was Troy Parrott’s best season of professional football. While he may have had more goal involvements in 2022-23 for League One side MK Dons (15), there are a couple of reasons I find this season’s performance much more beneficial for the Ireland international. The first reason, he was able to reach 14 goal involvements in 24 matches played. While many would have liked to see his contribution rate be slightly higher, he still showed the traits that showed he could produce at a decent rate. The other reason I think this year’s performance was beneficial for Troy Parrott was that he had the best production of his career in the most competitive league he has ever played in. Yes, he played for Spurs in the League Cup, FA Cup, and the Premier League. Those appearances amounted to 97 minutes of play across five appearances. The Eredivisie is a much more competitive league than League One and the Championship. So this showing this year was overall good for Troy Parrott. Was it as good as Joe Rodon’s season in Leeds? It is an apples-to-oranges comparison, but (in short) no.
Grade: B+
Dane Scarlett (Ipswich Town)
I wish I was writing this exert to tell you the Great Dane was one of the big reasons that Ipswich will be playing in the Premier League next season. Sadly, that is not the case as the Spurs’ Academy grad’s stay in Ipswich was a brief one. When he joined in August, a lot of people were surprised due to the number of strikers in the squad, but I was among those who thought this was the type of loan Scarlett needed. While it looked good on paper, the loan itself fizzled out. It had nothing to do with Scarlett’s attitude or work rate (like other Tottenham loanees we will cover) but with the circumstances. After appearing in Spurs’ League Cup tie with Fulham, Scarlett was ineligible to play for Ipswich as they progressed in the competition due to FA rules. Having only league matches to play in was a real hindrance for the young forward as Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna would only bring on Scarlett 12 times on the season (all of which being as a sub). This lack of playing time ultimately saw Spurs recall the attacker in January amid captain Son Heung-min’s trip to the Asian Cup as well as the injury crisis that plagued the club this season. There is not much to analyze from a statistics standpoint in Dane’s 158 minutes played, but there were some good reports from various sources following Ipswich and Spurs. In November, Football.London’s Rob Guest wrote, “McKenna seems happy [with Scarlett]. He’s always keen to stress that everyone has a part to play regardless of whether they’re starting or on the bench, or even out of the squad entirely. As I said, he’s pretty much-done everything that’s been asked of him by the manager, it’s just frustrating that it’s not a lot. The players seem to like him. He fits the same profile as Chelsea loanee Omari Hutchinson, who’s had a bit more success working the ‘super sub’ role. Ipswich’s recruitment plan is heavily based on how they fit into the squad on a human level, and his personality seems to work well in the group.” Guest would go on to say “there’s an acceptance that he hasn’t had many chances. No one is overly disappointed by what he’s done at Ipswich.” It may be putting lipstick on a pig, but I think this quote shows that Scarlett’s need is just more time. The player just turned 20 in March and still has some time to find himself. Maybe going on tour this offseason and remaining at Hotspur Way will benefit the player as his time working with Ange and all the other players may allow him to physically mature and understand the nature of the sport.
Grade: D+ (strictly based on circumstance and not a reflection of Scarlett or Ipswich Town)
Alfie Devine (Port Vale/Plymouth Argyle)
Alfie Devine possesses a multitude of great qualities that make me extremely excited to see in the first team. The 19-year-old is already the youngest player to ever appear in a first-team match when he debuted and scored back in 2021 in Spurs’ FA Cup tie with Marine AFC. Now it is a matter of acclimating him to the professional game, which was his plan of attack heading into this season. He began the year in League One on loan with Port Vale and was loved by everyone at the club. Across 26 appearances (including 20 starts), the youngster tallied six goal contributions and finished in the 90th+ percentile in pass accuracy, long ball accuracy, and aerial dual win percentage. When he was recalled by Tottenham, Port Vale conducted a long exit interview with the player as a thank-you for his time with the club. It was a classy tribute to a talented player. After leaving Port Vale, it was time for a step up into the Championship where he (and fellow teammate Ashley Phillips) went on a short-term loan to Plymouth Argyle who were battling relegation. This would be a tougher battle for the youngster as his numbers did not match the strong showing he had with Port Vale, which was to be expected stepping up to a higher level of the pyramid. In 15 matches, Devine made nine starts while chipping in 2 assists and earning an average match rating of 6.6 (according to FotMob). While it is easy to see his numbers at Plymouth Argyle and start to worry, I believe that would be very premature as we all know how talented this kid is. With rumors heating up that Argyle is interested in renewing Devine’s loan next season, there is still a lot to be excited about when it comes to Alfie Devine’s future with Tottenham Hotspur.
Grade: A- (at Port Vale); C (at Plymouth Argyle)
Tanguay Ndombele (Galatasaray)
Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day? This is an example of what we have gotten out of the loans for Tanguary Ndombele since 2022. In 2020-21, Tanguy Ndombele played 2091 minutes for Spurs in the Premier League. Since he has left North London on loan in 2022, he has played for Lyon, Napoli, and Galatasaray. Across those two-and-a-half seasons, he has totaled 2067 minutes. Every year it is “new year, same story,” and this year was no different. Zero goal involvements; one shot on target; 559 minutes played; four matches started. I have no positives to speak of. It appears as if the club’s record signee is in the midst of a “run out the clock scenario.”
Grade: F–
Japhet Tanganga (FC Augsburg/Millwall)
It was a tale of two loans for Japhet Tanganga, and much like the book A Tale of Two Cities, we start this grade report by saying, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” His time in Germany with FC Augsburg represents the worst of times. When it was announced that Japh was going to play this season in the Bundesliga, I was really excited. I thought it would be a great chance for him to get some good minutes in a top league. Well, Japhet Tanganga played a total of ZERO minutes in the Bundesliga. Thankfully, the club recalled the Spurs’ academy grad and found a better placement for him. That permanent placement was Championship-side Millwall. The Lions at the time were flirting with relegation and needed a spark. Japh would go on to make 17 starts across 18 matches to help Millwall move clear of the relegation zone. In the 17 matches Japhet Tanganga started with the club, Millwall won 27 points. In the 29 matches that did not see Tanganga start, Millwall won 32 points. There is a definite difference with the England international on the pitch. In those 17 starts, he was able to earn the Man of the Match rating on FotMob three separate times. It has been reported since the end of the Championship season, that Millwall and Spurs have agreed on terms for the permanent transfer for Tanganga pending an agreement between Millwall and the player on personal terms. If this is the end of Japh’s time at Spurs, I know he will be missed due to his passion and love for the club.
Grade: F (at FC Augsburg – not his fault); A (at Millwall)
Sergio Reguilon (Manchester United/Brentford)
It still amazes me how quickly opinions soured on Sergio Reguilon. Was he perfect? No. Do I think we are much better with Destiny Udogie in the side? Yes, but if you look at Regy’s numbers while he was with Spurs, they aren’t bad (not by a long shot). It may just be that Reguilon’s style is not the style managers in North London have wanted. After a disappointing loan spell last year at Atletico Madrid, the leftback began the season on loan with Manchester United as an emergency loanee after multiple injuries at the club. That loan spell did not inspire much as he earned a 6.3 average match rating in his first six appearances with the club (according to FotMob). While he would see an uptick in form, the emergency loan was less than impactful, and the Spain international saw his loan ended when Luke Shaw returned from injury. Shortly after, Spurs would send him on his second loan of the season, this time with Brentford. This spell was much improved for Reguilon as he started 14 of the 16 matches he appeared in while helping Brentford remain in England’s top flight for another season. Not only would he post an average match rating of 7.1 (according to FotMob), but he would tally four assists, create nearly 3 shot actions per game, and win 60% of his challenges in that time frame. It was reported at the end of the season that Reguilon was not expected to permanently join Brentford due to his high wages, but I think it is clear that Regy has played his way into a new deal with a top-side club.
Grade: D+ (at Manchester United); B+ (at Brentford)
Djed Spence (Leeds United/Genoa)
This has always been a curious case for me. On paper, Djed Spence fit Antonio Conte’s system well. An attacking wingback who was young, had pace, and showed that he could create against top sides. Then, he arrived and was only seen on the sidelines. A short-term loan to France showed that he could play. Things changed with the arrival of Ange Postecoglou as many of the wingbacks brought in by Conte were destined for new homes. That was the reality for Spence as he joined Leeds United in late August as they challenged for an immediate return to the Premier League. Things got off to a lackluster start for the England international as an injury kept him out of the squad until December when he would go on to appear in seven matches (including five starts) for the club. Things went sideways when Leeds terminated his loan on January 4th of this year. This is where the questions were raised. It would have been one thing for Spurs to recall him, but when the loan club terminates a loan, there is an issue. Leeds managed Daniel Farke would say shortly after the move: “Obviously it’s important, the potential and the quality of the player but also it’s professionalism, it’s discipline, it’s workload on and off the pitch and also the soft skills, so also if he’s positive and committed, good for the group and engaged with these topics, paint then more or less a picture. We decided okay, this is the player we want in our group and want to represent Leeds Leeds United, our demands are very, very high and we don’t differ between loan players, permanent players so we are pretty picky in this topic.” When a player’s discipline, work ethic, and professionalism are questioned, that is not a good sign. Spence’s return to North London would last exactly one week, as he would go on loan to Serie A side Genoa for the remainder of the season (and Genoa CB would join THFC on a permanent transfer). The loan move seemed to be a positive for Spence as he would make nine starts across 16 appearances for the club. The performances have been fairly par for the course with the defender showcasing a solid one-on-one game, but lacking the offensive output he showed in his time with Nottingham Forest. With the defender destined to hit the transfer market this summer, it will be interesting to see where he ends up.
Grade: D- (at Leeds United); C- (at Genoa)
Ashley Phillips (Plymouth Argyle)
After signing for Blackburn Rovers this summer, there was a lot of hype around Ashley Phillips and his future in defense for Tottenham Hotspur. He had featured in England’s youth sides for a while and was already considered one of the Championship’s bright young stars. He remained with Spurs’ first team for the first half of the season to acclimate to Ange Postecoglou’s system and learn from the likes of Ben Davies and Cristian Romero. After making the bench for the club a few times, he (along with fellow young gun Alfie Devine) was sent on loan to relegation-battling Plymouth Argyle. It was a great opportunity for the England international and he did not disappoint. Tallying nearly 1600 minutes across 20 appearances, Phillips helped Argyle fight off relegation and stay in the second division following their promotion from League One in 2023. Those 20 appearances were strong enough to earn Phillips the club’s Young Player of the Season Award prior to returning to Spurs for their post-season trip to Australia. While it is hard to quantify centerbacks statistically, Argyle fans raved about the player’s ability and work rate. Multiple reports have stated that Argyle would like to have Phillips return on loan for the 2024/25 season. That to me tells me everything I need to know.
Grade: A-
Matthew Craig (Doncaster Rovers)
Matthew Craig is one of these players that always sneaks up on me. The Scottish defensive midfielder probably prefers it that way as he has quietly built a name for himself inside of Spurs’ Academy side. After spending the first half of the season with the club’s U21 side, it was time to test the loan waters as he was sent to League Two side Doncaster Rovers. In that time, he was a fixture in a side that fell just short of reaching the League Two playoff final at Wembley as they lost to Crewe Alexandra in penalties. During his time with Doncaster Rovers, Craig started in all 20 matches he featured in, netted one goal and one assist, and earned an average match rating of 7.1 (according to FotMob). Overall it was a great run with the club for Matthew Craig as Football.London reporter Rob Guest recently stated that “the midfielder proved to be a huge hit in South Yorkshire in his 20 appearances for the club.”
Grade: A
Alejo Veliz (Sevilla)
Let’s start with the good news for Alejo Veliz. Upon his arrival in Sevilla, he was given the #10 shirt for the club, which was also worn by footballing legend Diego Maradona. That is the one good thing I can say about Veliz’s time with Sevilla. When it was reported, I think we were all excited for the youngster to get some minutes in a top league before getting his first full summer in North London. Unfortunately, that never happened. The attacker has played a total of 34 minutes across five matches for a Sevilla side that (at the time of writing) sits 13th in the La Liga table. This grade has everything to do with Sevilla and nothing to do with Spurs or Alejo Veliz
Grade: F
That is it for part two of the White Hart Live 2023/24 Player Grades. Be sure to join us soon for our third installment of this breakdown.
Thanks for reading. If you’d like to follow me on Twitter, you can do so by clicking here. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. You can also follow White Hart Live on Twitter here. Be sure to follow along as we bring you all things Tottenham Hotspur. My hope is to connect with Spurs’ supporters all over the globe through our love of this great club. COME ON YOU SPURS!
-Dustin Gentile
White Hart Live 
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