A fresh update has emerged on Alfie Devine’s future after Preston North End took a major step towards making the Tottenham midfielder’s move permanent.
Tottenham Hotspur had several youngsters out on loan across Europe this season, but arguably none enhanced their reputation more than Alfie Devine. The attacking midfielder has been regarded as one of the brightest talents to emerge from Hotspur Way in recent years, having made his senior debut for Spurs back in 2021 at a record-breaking 16 years of age.
Now 21, Devine has enjoyed the most productive campaign of his young career during his loan spell at Preston North End. The England Under-20 international registered 8 goals and 8 assists from 48 appearances in all competitions, becoming one of the Championship side’s standout performers throughout the season.
Those displays have not gone unnoticed either. Interest in Devine has continued to grow over recent months, with a number of clubs monitoring his situation ahead of the summer transfer window.
Preston North End take first major step towards permanent Alfie Devine deal
Before signing Devine on loan last summer, Preston negotiated an option to buy the midfielder permanently from Tottenham. The fee has been reported at around £6 million, though it was previously suggested to be closer to £4.5 million. Either way, many would argue that Tottenham have significantly undervalued a player with his potential.
That said, the figure would still comfortably surpass Preston’s current transfer record, which proves just how highly the Championship club rate the youngster. Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom has regularly praised Devine throughout the season and made it clear towards the end of the campaign that the club would do everything possible to secure his signature.
Now, according to football.london journalist Alasdair Gold, Preston have officially triggered their option to buy, with the deal structured through instalment payments.
However, that is only part of the process. While the option has been activated, Devine must still agree on personal terms and decide whether Preston is the right destination for the next phase of his development.
Alfie Devine will think he has better offers
According to football.london, Preston are far from alone in their pursuit of Devine. The report states that several clubs across Europe are keeping tabs on the midfielder, with Celtic and recently relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers among those showing serious interest. In fact, it is said that eight different clubs are interested in signing Devine this summer.
From a sporting perspective, both clubs could present very attractive opportunities.
That said, neither option is likely to match Devine’s ultimate ambition. The midfielder has previously spoken about his dream of becoming a regular first-team player at Tottenham, and many Spurs supporters would love to see one of their own academy graduates establish himself in the heart of the club’s midfield.
Unfortunately, that pathway currently looks difficult. Roberto De Zerbi already possesses significant depth in midfield and Tottenham are expected to strengthen further in that area this summer. For that reason, football.london believe Devine’s long-term future is likely to be away from North London.