Tottenham prodigies who flopped and couldn’t reach expected heights include Ceballos, Bostock, Lancaster and more – The US Sun

Dubbed the ‘next Gareth Bale’ in the past, TOTTENHAM youngster Ryan Sessegnon has returned to the first-team

After moving from Fulham, he was quickly unable to live up to the hype in England and tried to boost his career in the 2020/21 season with a loan from Bundesliga club Hoffenheim.

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But Sessegnon is now back in Antonio Conte’s plans and is a rotation player this season as Spurs look to battle for the top four.

He has made 16 Premier League appearances for the north London side this season, scoring twice.

However, other child prodigies have struggled to reach the grade.

Here are six Spurs youngsters who failed to set north London on fire.

JOHANNES BOSTOCK

Bostock was considered Crystal Palace’s youngest player when he made his debut in 2007 at the age of 15.

A year later, Spurs repelled interest from Barcelona and Arsenal in signing the box-to-box midfielder who appeared to have the world at his feet for £700,000.

The move enraged then-Palace chairman Simon Jordan, who revoked Bostock and his stepfather’s season tickets.

But as fate would have it, Jordan needn’t have worried. Bostock’s development stalled after unsuccessful loan spells at Brentford, Hull, Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon and then Toronto FC.

A move to second division side Royal Antwerp reignited his passion for football in 2013, before moving on to OH Leuven, Lens, Bursaspor and Toulouse.

In 2019, Bostock returned to our shores, still just 30 years old, on loan to Nottingham Forest. He was with Doncaster Rovers last season – but turned down a new contract in the summer and left.

He has since moved to Notts County and has played six games in the National League this season.

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CAMERON LANCASTER

In 2012, Lancaster was considered Spurs’ best youth player in a team that also included Harry Kane.

The centre-forward even made his debut ahead of the English leaders against Wigan in the same year.

However, things turned sour for Lancaster after a series of injuries hampered his progress, including breaking his groin to the bone and tearing his cruciate ligament.

In 2014 he was sacked by Spurs and signed by Stevenage. Then followed a move to St. Albans City where he continued to struggle.

A year later, he was enjoying his football in America, playing for Louisville City in the USL championship.

After rediscovering his goalscoring shoes and hitting the net 36 times for them in 79 games, he was signed by the Nashville Soccer Club in 2019, making their MLS debut in 2020.

After a loan spell at Louisville City, Lancaster joined the club on a permanent basis late last season, ready for the 2021 season.

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CRISTIAN CEBALLOS

Arsenal aren’t the first north London club to have a Ceballos on their books, you know.

In 2011, Tottenham took a punt on Christian Ceballos, also an attacking midfielder formerly at Barcelona’s famous academy La Masia.

By the age of 15, Ceballos had become a YouTube sensation after a video of him juggling a ball with Ronaldinho went viral.

But he was sacked by Barcelona and snapped up by Spurs after an unsuccessful trial with Chelsea.

Ceballos failed to make a first-team appearance for the Premier League giants and was sold to Charlton where he flopped.

After three years with Belgium’s Sint-Truidense VV, Ceballos joined Qatari side Al-Wakrah in 2019. He now plays for Azerbaijani club Sabah.

He has made 12 appearances for the club this year, scoring two goals.

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DORIAN DERVITE

In 2006, when Martin Jol was Tottenham boss, he added Dervite to his squad.

The 6ft 4in defender, signed from Lille, was a France Under-18 international and considered one of the leading centre-backs of his generation.

Unfortunately for Dervite, he made just one appearance – in a League Cup game against Port Vale alongside Michael Dawson at the heart of Tottenham’s defense – before injury ended his career.

Knee surgery kept him out of the game for several months but a loan spell at Southend United gave him renewed hope when he was voted their second player of the season by their fans.

But top-flight football alluded to him, and spells at Villarreal B, Charlton, Bolton and Charleroi followed.

He joined Cypriot club Doxa Katokopias and then Belgian club Renaissance Mons 44, who reformed this summer after being declared bankrupt in 2015.

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TERRY DIXON

Between 2004 and 2008 Tottenham pinned their hopes on Republic of Ireland striker Dixon.

That’s why they stood by the youngster after he suffered three debilitating knee injuries before he was 18.

But it wasn’t to be and he was picked up by West Ham after Spurs sacked him.

A year later, his contract was terminated by the Hammers when he failed to break into their first team.

Since 2011, Dixon has stopped at Stevenage, Ware, Tooting and Mitcham United, Bradford City, Halifax Town, Dover Athletic, Dunstable Town and Berkhamsted without leaving a trace.

He has been at Aylesbury United since 2014 before joining Tring – although it is not known if he is still playing today.

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Three serious knee injuries before the age of 18 meant that Terry Dixon didn’t live up to his hype

Jonathan Blondel

In 2002, the Belgium midfielder turned down Man Utd overtures after Sir Alex Ferguson earmarked him as one for the future.

Spurs came in a few months later, falling after the then Belgium Under-19 star who was one of the most desirable young footballers in the world.

A good passer with excellent vision, Blondel suffered from the physical rigors of British football.

At just 5ft 8in and a slight physique, he was often bullied out of reserve games and was deemed overcapable within two years, having only played twice.

However, Blondel started his career in Belgium with Club Brugge and ended up making 266 appearances for the club. He retired in 2015 at the age of 31 but didn’t quite achieve what was expected of him in the game.

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