Dante Cassanova could be seen boarding the plane to Budapest with Tottenham's first team(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Tottenham drop squad hint for Ferencvaros as academy trio spotted with Ange Postecoglou's team

Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham squad to face Ferencvaros on Thursday evening looks set to contain a handful of academy players

02 Oct 2024, 11:08 by Rob Guest · football.london

Academy stars Alfie Dorrington, Dante Cassanova and Damola Ajayi have travelled with Tottenham's first-team squad ahead of Thursday evening's Europa League tie against Ferencvaros. Travelling to Budapest on Wednesday morning for their second European match of the season, the trio could be seen boarding the plane with Spurs' first-team regulars.

Ange Postecoglou made a handful of changes for last week's Europa League opener against Qarabag and he is likely do the same in Hungary on Thursday. However, the head coach will have to make some big decisions in certain areas of the pitch with Spurs a bit light in one or two positions.

Having to name a 25-man squad for the Europa League league phase at the beginning of September, clubs taking part in UEFA competition also have a separate B list which they can submit no later than midnight (CET) on the day before a game.

Club-trained players who were born on or after January 1, 2003 are allowed to be considered for selection but they must have been with Tottenham for an uninterrupted period of a minimum of two years to be eligible. Ahead of the Qarabag game, Spurs included Luca Gunter, Tyrese Hall, Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear on their B list, with only Moore and Lankshear named in the matchday squad to face the team from Azerbaijan.

Dorrington, Cassanova and Ajayi now look set to join the B list for the Ferencvaros match, with confirmation likely to arrive on UEFA's official website on Thursday morning. Dorrington will provide cover in defence as Radu Dragusin is not available for selection due to his red card in last week's Europa League opener.

Cassanova will add to the options at centre-back after starting in the position in six games for the club's Under-21 side so far this term, with the 20-year-old also having experience of playing as a right-back and in the holding role in midfield. Ajayi, who was photographed on the club's Instagram account, will then boost Postecoglou's attacking choices as he can play on the right-wing, as a striker and also centrally in midfield.

Other players spotted boarding the plane to Hungary included the likes of James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Lucas Bergvall, Dominic Solanke, Lankshear and Moore. Sergio Reguilon was another player who could be seen taking his place on the plane even though he is not part of Tottenham's European squad and is now not eligible to play for the team in Europe.

There appeared to be no sign of Son Heung-min or Destiny Udogie in the video posted by the club, although it must be stressed that not every single player boarding the plane is recorded and subsequently part of the video produced by Tottenham. Postecoglou will provide an update on the injury front when he speaks to the media in Budapest at 4.15pm on Wednesday afternoon.

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