Tottenham agree “significant” deal to sell 21 year-old with personal terms now agreed

Tottenham are set to complete the exit of academy centre-back Alfie Dorrington, with the 21-year-old closing in on a permanent move to Polish Ekstraklasa side Pogoń Szczecin.

A deal in principle is already in place between the two clubs, and personal terms have now been agreed with the player himself.

Tottenham will receive a “significant” financial package and a percentage of any future sale, Pogoń owner Alex Haditaghi has confirmed.

Tottenham raising funds through academy sales

Dorrington’s departure is the latest piece of a significant academy shake-up under Roberto De Zerbi this summer.

Will Lankshear has completed a move to Middlesbrough for an initial £10million, with a further £10million in potential add-ons, while Alfie Devine has joined Preston North End on a permanent deal.

Between those sales and the departure of Tynan Thompson, Spurs have now brought in up to £34million from moving on their young talent, while they also hold a sell-on clause and first refusal on any future Lankshear and made a huge sum from the sale of Luka Vuskovic.

The financial detail of the Dorrington transfer has become a point of contention in Poland, after Meczyki.pl editor Tomasz Włodarczyk claimed the deal would involve no transfer fee.

Haditaghi was quick to dismiss the report, stating on social media (via Sport Witness): “Another completely fabricated story from Tomasz Włodarczyk.

“Allegedly, Tomasz knows more about this transfer than the person negotiating, approving, and signing the documents.

“I must be signing the wrong contracts, because the documents before me clearly include a transfer fee and a significant financial package, as well as a significant sell-on clause.

“Next time, maybe I should call Tomasz before signing anything. He clearly has access to a more detailed version of our contracts than we do.”

Who is Alfie Dorrington?

Dorrington joined Tottenham’s academy at 13 and progressed through the club’s youth ranks, representing England at various age groups up to U19 level.

He made his senior debut in December 2024, coming off the bench in a 5-0 win over Southampton, and was rewarded with a contract through to 2029.

Since then, senior football has come exclusively via loan spells – a year at Aberdeen, where he won the Scottish Cup and gained Conference League experience, followed by a stint at League Two side Salford City.

Standing at 6 foot 3, he’s regarded as a composed, ball-playing centre-back with strong aerial ability, and a move to Poland offers the platform for regular first-team football that has so far eluded him in North London.

While the exits of Dorrington, Devine, Lankshear and Thompson mark a clear effort from De Zerbi and ENIC to make hay from young players struggling to make a breakthrough, it isn’t all bad news for the club’s academy talents.

Mason Melia, who only arrived from St Patrick’s Athletic in February 2025, looks set to be fast-tracked onto De Zerbi’s pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand following Lankshear’s departure, with Alasdair Gold reporting the 18-year-old is in line to fill the gap left up front.

Jamie Donley is also poised for a big summer, with reports suggesting he’s impressed De Zerbi in training and could earn a first-team opportunity of his own, continuing the pathway from academy to senior football that the Italian has built a reputation for at previous clubs.