Tottenham wonderkids who failed to live up to the hype, include Ceballos, Bostock, Dervitte and more

SPURS boss Mauricio Pochettino is pinning his hopes on youth – why else would he invest in the likes of Jack Clarke and Ryan Sessegnon.

And the Argentine boss has also blooded future Tottenham stars Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp into his first team squad, as he aims to build a side that can compete with Man City and Liverpool.

But for every Winks or Skipp, there’s a failed wonderkid who didn’t quite live up to the hype expected.

Here’s six Spurs youngsters who failed to set North London alight.

JOHN BOSTOCK

Bostock was tipped for greatness after becoming Crystal Palace’s youngest ever player when he made his debut aged 15 in 2007.

A year later, Spurs beat off interest from Barcelona and Arsenal to sign the box-to-box midfielder, who seemingly had the world at his feet for £700,000.

The move infuriated then-Palace chairman Simon Jordan, who revoked Bostock and his step-father’s season tickets.

But, as fate would have it, Jordan need not have worried. Bostock’s development stunted after unsuccessful loans at Brentford, Hull, Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon, and then Toronto FC.

A move to second division side Royal Antwerp reignited his passion for the game in 2013, and he then bounced to OH Leuven, Lens, Bursaspor and Toulouse.

This season Bostock has returned to our shores, still only 27, on loan at Nottingham Forest.

CAMERON LANCASTER

In 2012 Lancaster was reckoned to be Spurs’ best youth player in a team that also had Harry Kane in.

The centre-forward even got a debut before the England hotshot against Wigan that same year.

However, it all turned sour for Lancaster after a series of injuries hampered his progress, including snapping his groin to the bone and tearing his ACL.

In 2014, he was released by Spurs and signed by Stevenage. Then a move to St Albans City followed, 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 scoring boots, finding the net 36 times in 79 games for them, he’s just been signed by Nashville Soccer Club, who make their MLS debut in 2020.

CHRISTIAN CEBALLOS

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

Back in 2011 Tottenham took a punt on a Christian Ceballos, also an attacking midfielder, who was formerly at Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.

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

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

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

After a three-year spell at Belgium team Sint-Truidense V.V., Ceballos, now 26, moved to Qatari side Al-Wakrah this year.

DORIAN DERVITTE

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

Signed from Lille, the 6ft 4in defender was a France under-18 international and tipped to become one of the leading centre-halves of his generation.

Sadly for Dervitte, he only made one appearance – in a League Cup tie against Port Vale alongside Michael Dawson in the heart of Tottenham’s defence – before injury curtailed his career.

Surgery on his knee kept him out of the game for several months, but a loan spell at Southend United gave him renewed hope when he was voted second in a player of the season poll by their fans.

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

He’s currently plying his trade for NAC Breda, now in the Dutch second division.

TERRY DIXON

Between 2004-08, Tottenham had high hopes for Republic of Ireland forward Dixon.

That’s why they stood by the youngster after he suffered three crippling knee injuries before the age of 18.

But it wasn’t to be, and he was picked up by West Ham after Spurs released 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 his mark.

He’s been at Aylesbury United since 2014, and is still only 29.

JONATHAN BLONDEL

In 2002, Belgium midfield schemer rejected Man United’s advances after Sir Alex Ferguson earmarked him as one for the future.

A few months later, in came Spurs who swooped for the-then Belgium under-19 star who was one of the most coveted young footballers on the planet.

A good passer of the ball with excellent vision, Blondel suffered with the physical rigours of the British football.

At only 5ft 8in and of slight build, he was often bullied out of reserve games and was deemed surplus to requirements within two years, playing just twice.

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