If you’re in the Celtic sphere, the name Alfie Devine will have been on your radar this week.
The midfielder has sent speculation surrounding his future into overdrive this week by allowing Preston North End’s option to buy him expire.
Though the English market has been very hit-or-miss for Celtic of late, Devine is extremely highly-rated. Whoever does land his signing this summer will be making a major coup.
But who is Devine, and what kind of player is he?
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Alfie Sean Devine was born on 1 August 2004 in Warrington, England. He is 1.82 m (approximately 6 ft 0 in) in height, and approximately 75 kg (165 lbs) in weight.
Who has Alfie Devine played for?
After emerging as a star in Wigan Athletic’s academy, Tottenham won the race to sign Devine for £300,000 in 2020, with the Latics hamstrung by administration.
He made his senior debut just months later in January 2021, aged 16, scoring a second-half goal as Spurs beat Marine 5-0 in the FA Cup. He became the club’s youngest-ever player and goalscorer in doing so.
The following year, he won the Euro Under-19 Championship with England.
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After a spell of injuries and first-team limbo, he was loaned to Port Vale in League One for the 2023-24 season, showing signs of real quality despite his tender age.
This earned him a Championship loan to Plymouth Argyle the following season, but with his side desperately struggling, he switched to Westerlo in Belgium midway through the season, excelling in his time abroad.
Preston won the race to land him on loan ahead of this season, and by the end of his spell, he had established himself as a key player in the Championship. Martin O’Neill and Mark Fotheringham attended Deepdale for their clash with QPR, fuelling speculation.
He is now set to leave Spurs, with just one year remaining on his contract.
What kind of midfielder is Alfie Devine?
Devine has understandably had to demonstrate versatility across loan spells at four different clubs.
His form as a deep-lying ‘number six’ for Port Vale was widely praised, though he has since played in a more box-to-box role.
Whilst in Belgium, he was compared to Bruno Fernandes, though since returning to England, his playing style has been more akin to that of a James Garner.
His blend of energy and technique makes him most comparable to Arne Engels in the Celtic squad – ideal, given that the Belgian is set to leave.
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