Tottenham lining up summer transfer swoop for Charlton Athletic player | OneFootball

Tottenham are keen on signing Charlton Athletic’s Thierry Small after his impressive first few months with the Addicks, but the League One side are hoping to tie him down to a longer contract.

Thierry Small’s career so far

Even though the left-back is only 19, Small is a name that many fans may recognise, as he has been very highly-rated in English football over the past few years.

Having come through the ranks at Everton, Southampton then moved to bring the defender to the south coast in 2021, with a tribunal eventually deciding the fee after a £1.5m offer was rejected by the Merseyside outfit for the teenager.

At the time, it had been thought that Small would be involved in the first-team at St. Mary’s Stadium before forcing his way into the XI, but it’s fair to say that things didn’t exactly go to plan.

A poor loan at Port Vale followed, with Small then having two different spells with St. Mirren, but he once again didn’t kick-on as had been expected.

With Small seemingly down the pecking order at the Championship side, it was announced in February that the youngster had terminated his contract with the club, allowing him to join Charlton on a free on a short-term deal.

Thierry Small impresses at Charlton

And, that’s a decision that has paid off, with Small benefiting from the coaching and guidance of Nathan Jones, who has used him regularly down the flank.

He featured in 14 games as the Londoners improved considerably under the ex-Luton Town chief, with Small appearing to be enjoying his football once again.

Thierry Small transfer latest

However, there are still doubts about his future, as Small’s initial deal at The Valley was running until this summer, but Charlton did have an option to extend his contract by 12 months, which they are set to take.

Whilst that means he won’t leave on a free, it doesn’t mean a sale can be ruled out in the upcoming window, and Football Insider has revealed that Spurs are ‘keeping close tabs’ on the player, having been admirers of Small over the years.

“Tottenham are keeping close tabs on Charlton Athletic’s former Everton star Thierry Small going into the summer.

“It is believed that Spurs have been watching the 19-year-old left-back’s performances in League One after failing to sign him from Southampton last year.

“Due to his impressive displays, sources say Charlton have offered Small a new three-year contract. The third-tier club will trigger the option to extend his current deal for one year while he weighs up his options.

“That extension will see the club guaranteed a higher transfer fee if he does leave, with the new contract on the table leaving the door open for a long-term commitment. Small remains an important part of the club’s ambitious plans for the future.”

Thierry Small has a big decision to make on his future

Even though he is under contract, if Small wants to leave this summer it will be difficult for Charlton to stand in his way, so he has a big call to make.

Given how he struggled at Southampton, you would think that the youngster should prioritise first-team football, so staying at Charlton could be ideal for his development.

Of course, Spurs will appeal, but the player needs to trust his ability and back himself to reach that level in the future, instead of rushing the move, and playing U23 football or going out on loan again.

So, it will be interesting to see how this plays out, and all connected to Charlton will be hoping that he sticks around.