Tottenham are reportedly close to signing highly rated National League rising star Charlie Sayers, a defender for Southend United.
Football Insider exclusively reveal that the Premier League side have offered a professional contract to the 17 year old left-back after he went to them for a trial within the under 18s squad.
A Spurs source has told Football Insider that Sayers, who is also a lifelong Tottenham fan, has been offered a three-year pro deal.
It is expected that he will accept the offer and complete a transfer from Southend, potentially before the 1st of January.
He first caught the attention of youth-team observers by featuring for their Under-18s in the Premier League Cup clash at Fulham last Saturday.
Our U18s are in U18 Premier League Cup action away at @FulhamFC this morning.
Here’s how we line-up… 👇 pic.twitter.com/yHXqpAByQ4
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 27, 2021
Sayers was named in the starting line-up and didn’t play for Southend later in the day in their National League fixture at Altrincham.
The deal can be done this month rather than in January as non league clubs don’t have transfer window rules.
The source goes on to say that he has made a big impression during his trial at Tottenham and impressed the club’s academy coaches.
Spurs have been in the market for a young left-back after losing 19 year old Dennis Cirkin to League One outfit Sunderland in August, in a deal.
It has been a rapid rise for Sayers, who only joined Southend Under-18s from school in April.
He had already broken into their first-team squad by August when Phil Brown was still the manager and has so far made six senior appearances in total for Southend this term.
Shrimpers head coach Kevin Maher is remaining tight-lipped on Charlie Sayers’ future.
When asked about the 17-year-old’s future towards the end of November, Maher was not giving much away.
“There’s not much I can say at the minute,” said Maher, and that literally was it.
Southend’s website say on the player: “Another product of the esteemed Southend United Academy, Sayers emerged on to the first team scene at Blues ahead of the 2021/22 season.
“The left-back featured heavily throughout pre-season and impressed at left-back with a comfortable presence on the ball and maturity for his age.
“Sayers will be hopeful of making his first-team debut this season, having featured in the matchday squad for the first time against Wealdstone in August 2021.”
Phil Brown said back in October that Charlie Sayers is destined for a bright future in football.
“I think Charlie Sayers has been outstanding and you have to say he has a career ahead of him, there’s no doubt about it,” said Brown after he started two games for the club earlier in the season.
“He’s got two games under his belt now but is he going to make mistakes as a 17-year-old boy? Absolutely.
“But on Tuesday he had a team on Tuesday that was protecting him.”
“Charlie has set a great example of what this club has been about for the last 10 years and that’s decent young players,” said Brown on enjoying being able to call upon the youngster.
“I’ve not always had the benefit of that because we’ve always sold them on but where Charlie is concerned his dad looks after him which is a great shout.
“He hasn’t got an agent which is also a great shout so all he’s got is the manager’s voice in his ear and hopefully he’s here for a long time.”
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Twitter users reacted with Tottenham close to signing the highly rated National League rising star…
@nocontextspurs: Looks like Kane and Tom Carroll mated
@FtblMason: Generational
@CwNorto: Good luck, Charlie. COYS
@daviejones67: Not the first left back Spurs have scouted from Southend a certain Justin Edinburgh and he didn’t work out too bad for the club
@bri_1610: Watch Levy announce this as our marquee January signing
@N17Ryan_: Already better than Sess
@ForeverAYellow: Now this i like to see. Sounds like he’s is absolutely smashing it and yet he’s only 17! Fair play to him, would love to see him crack the first team one day at Spurs
He’s on trial for spurs at 17 and I’m sat at home tweeting about him at 17 pic.twitter.com/2t1W5lnpZ9
— Taran😶🌫️🧛🏽 (@thfctaran) November 27, 2021
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