Tottenham record-breaker Alfie Devine ‘back where he belongs’ with U18s, says Jose Mourinho

Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP12 January 2021

Jose Mourinho says he has sent Alfie Devine back to the academy “where he belongs” to “calm down” after the teenager became Tottenham’s youngest-ever goalscorer on Sunday.

Devine, aged 16 and 163 days, came off the bench to score Spurs’s final goal in the 5-0 win over eighth-tier Marine in the FA Cup third-round.

The summer signing from Wigan, who also became Spurs’ youngest-ever player on Merseyside, has trained regularly with Mourinho’s first-team this season but the manager says he will spent the next two to three weeks back with the Under-18s.

“I don't know [how he is] because I sent him back to the academy,” Mourinho said ahead of Wednesday’s visit of Fulham.

“When you reach that high moment now it's time to go back to where he belongs and it's time to calm down because [there are] lots of lights on him. 

"This is the moment to calm down and go back to the academy. I don't want to see him for maybe one or two weeks. Let him be there.”

Mourinho reiterated that Harry Winks will not leave Spurs this month after reports linking the England midfielder with a loan move to Spain.

“What do I have to say to stop with this talk? I said already, he’s going nowhere,” he said.

"So when I say he’s going nowhere, what more do you want me to say? 

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"He’s played the last matches. He didn’t play the last one [against Marine], was a decision to let play other players like Gedson and players that are not basically playing many minutes. 

“Tomorrow’s he’s selected again. And if somebody is speaking with other clubs, my advice is don’t lose [waste] your time, don’t lose your time because he’s going nowhere.”

Mourinho added that he was unsure if Gedson Fernandes, who made only his second appearance of the season against Marine, would be recalled from his loan by parent club Benfica this month.

The midfielder joined Spurs on an 18-month deal a year ago but the Portuguese club are considering recalling him due to a lack of minutes in London.

“I don't know,” he said of Gedson’s future. “If he stays I'm happy. Again, from a selfish point of view I'm very happy if he stays because he's a good player and when we need him we know that we have some quality coming from him.”

Mourinho added that Oliver Skipp would remain at Norwich on loan for the rest of the season, despite a temptation to recall him, and insisted Spurs have no interest in Stuttgart forward Nicolas Gonzalez.

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