Tottenham have a diamond on their hands, and will have a real fight to keep top clubs away if he continues on his current trajectory
Tottenham's academy has produced a number of household names in the Premier League era, from Ledley King and Peter Crouch to Danny Rose and Andros Townsend, and more recently, Kyle Walker-Peters and Harry Winks. All of those players went on to enjoy strong careers at both club and international level, but Spurs' most treasured asset was unearthed in 2009, when Harry Kane began his professional football journey.
Kane spent 14 years with the north London club, during which time he managed to surpass the legendary Jimmy Greaves atop their all-time goal-scorers' chart, while also becoming England captain. Spurs emerged as title contenders and Champions League finalists with Kane leading the line, but when the prolific frontman eventually departed for Bayern Munich in a blockbuster €100m (£84m/$108m) deal, he did so without a single piece of silverware to his name.
In fact, Tottenham haven't won anything since their 2008 League Cup triumph under Juande Ramos. The Kane era left supporters with a lingering sense of 'what might have been', and Spurs are in desperate need of an another inspirational figure with the talent to make the people believe again.
Enter Mikey Moore: the 16-year-old forward with seemingly limitless potential who is already pushing for senior recognition.
Where it all began
Moore was born on August 11, 2007 in Southwark, the London borough located on the south bank of the River Thames. Football quickly became his big passion, and he was drafted into Tottenham's youth ranks at the tender age of eight.
The youngster successfully balanced academic life at Kent's Strood Academy with his commitments at Spurs, and enjoyed a rapid ascent as he displayed the technical quality and maturity of a far older player. In 2022, Moore broke into Tottenham's Under-18s team at just 15, while also earning a place in the England youth set-up.
In November of that year, he was part of the England U16 squad that competed at the Football Federations Cup in Spain, and left a lasting impression on the tournament. Moore came off the bench when the Three Lions were 1-0 down against Germany in their second game, and scored two stunning solo goals to complete a memorable comeback.
England didn't go onto win the competition, but Moore picked up the tournament's Golden Boot, and his performances blew everyone away. He would go on to finish the 2022-23 season with seven goal contributions in 10 U18 Premier League appearances for Spurs, and hit a brace for the U17s in a thumping 5-1 Premier League Cup final victory over Nottingham Forest.
Moore also became the youngest-ever Tottenham player to turn out for the U21s, which led to then-interim first-team boss Ryan Mason inviting him to train with the senior squad. It's simply not normal to reach such a high level that quickly, and the following season, Moore proved beyond all doubt that he is a special talent capable of making it all the way to the top.
AdvertisementThe big break
Tottenham became increasingly aware of interest from clubs across the continent in Moore, and so they moved to tie him down to a long-term deal in June 2023. He rewarded the club's show of faith by scoring 14 goals in 12 U18 Premier League outings, while also recording eight assists, and the stage was set for him finish the campaign in historic fashion.
Spurs dealt with an unprecedented injury crisis throughout Ange Postecoglou's first year in charge, with Moore among the academy starlets to be called into the senior squad to provide cover down the finishing stretch of the campaign. Moore was an unused substitute in Premier League games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Burnley, but his opportunity came when Tottenham played host to Manchester City on May 14.
At 16 years, nine months and three days old, Moore broke Dane Scarlett's record as the youngest player to feature for Spurs in the Premier League when he came on for James Maddison in stoppage-time. Tottenham lost the game 2-0, but Moore described his cameo as the "proudest moment of my life" on social media.
Moore was also quizzed on the experience by and replied with refreshing honesty: "It was good, the pace was so quick. It felt like I was playing FIFA. It felt mad. Coming on and trying to press, they move the ball so quick. I got a couple of touches of the ball and hopefully some more soon. As a young player coming through the academy, it's all you want really to make your debut. Coming on is probably the best feeling I've ever had to be fair."
Postecoglou, meanwhile, reserved some special words for the teenager via the club's official media channel. “I thought it was important [to give him his debut]," he said. "It’s a bit of a reward for him for working hard in the last two, three weeks as part of the first-team squad, to give him that experience. He still has a long way to go, he’s only 16, but he’s a good kid and hopefully that encourages him.”
How it's going
Moore got his second senior appearance in Spurs' 3-0 final day win at Sheffield United, once again coming on as a late replacement for Maddison, before linking up with England for the U17 European Championship in Cyprus.
The Three Lions ended up crashing out on penalties against Italy in the quarter-finals, but Moore went home with his head held high after scoring four goals, two of which came against France in the group stage. The 16-year-old's second effort was a thing of a beauty, as he calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner after dancing past four opposition defenders, with England eventually running out 4-0 winners.
Postecoglou was obviously impressed, because Moore is now enjoying a prominent role in his pre-season plans. Spurs thrashed Hearts 5-1 in their opening friendly fixture last week, and Moore managed to get on the scoresheet to open his goal tally at senior level.
He told Spurs' official website after the game: “To score my first goal, even though it was in a pre-season game, was probably the best feeling I’ve had so far, and to score in front of the fans as well… it was unreal! The little dribble and finish… it’s what I’ve been doing in the academy so I just wanted to keep doing what I’ve been doing. Even though it was a pre-season game, it meant everything to me.”
Moore was subsequently included in Tottenham's squad for their tour of Japan and South Korea, which will see them face off against Vissel Kobe and Bayern Munich. If he continues to make such a decisive impact in the final third, it's entirely possible that the 2024-25 campaign will be a breakout one for Spurs' newest academy gem.
GettyBiggest strengths
Highly-rated English coach Harry Brooks, who is the director of the RH Football Group that works with grassroot and academy stars across the globe, recently offered a glowing assessment of Moore to fuel the hype surrounding the Spurs teenager.
“Mikey is a beautiful close-control dribbler,” Brooks told . “He has that clutch gene of end-product. The Spurs teams will look to him – all the attacks go through him, but he’ll also finish them off. He is what I call a ‘presence forward’ – which doesn’t need to be the biggest player, you just have to have the presence where you dictate how the team attacks and creates chances. You’re the go-to guy in attack. Mikey will be the one to decide, ‘I’m gonna win this game’.”
Moore's preferred position is on the left wing, where he can cut inside and wreak havoc on his stronger right foot, but he's also versatile enough to play as a No.10 or an out-and-out striker. Spurs fans will quickly take to Moore because of his explosive, direct style of play, and he possesses a confident streak that sets him apart from other players at his age.