Talented young Spurs goalkeeper Brandon Austin (22) has joined American MLS side Orlando City on loan for six months, with the option for another six months. Austin has been a regular for our under 23 side this season making eight appearances, and after a successful loan at Danish Second Division side Viborg FF in the second half of last season, Austin joins a very competitive league where competition for a place in the Orlando City side will surely be big. Oscar Pareja’s Orlando side seem to have Peru international Pedro Gallese as their main goalkeeper, with Brian Rowe also getting minutes during last season, so it will be a great challenge for Austin to try and make that number one goalkeeping spot his own. An extremely consistent performer for our youth sides since joining the club full-time in 2015, the former Chelsea schoolboy has demonstrated time and time again his quality as a shot stopper. He is also very good at commanding his box and organising the defence in front of him. The goalkeeper’s new side will I believe play in the Eastern Conference in the 2021 MLS season, where they will face teams like New York City, Atlanta United and The Montreal Impact. Orlando finished in fourth place in the Eastern Conference last season, and they also made the quarter finals of the play offs, with well known former Manchester United player Nani helping them to achieve that. Austin’s loan move to Viborg FF during the last January transfer window would have been really beneficial to him, and while in Denmark he was Viborg’s number one goalkeeper, and he really helped finish the season strongly, making many a fine save in the Danish Second Division.

Called up regularly for England’s under 21 side over the last year, the goalkeeper from Hemel Hempstead is such a good all round goalkeeper in my opinion. I think that from watching him play last season, that he had got even better with his kicking, and just got even better as a goalkeeper all round. A player who has terrific reflexes, Austin is a player who has great potential, and who I strongly believe could play for Spurs’ first team in the future (he signed a new contract with the club last year which runs until 2022). This loan move will challenge Austin even further, and when he plays he will come up against some very good forwards, and I’ve actually watched a lot of MLS football during the season just gone as I’ve been watching ex-Spurs player Luis Binks play, and it’s a really competitive league. I believe that this is a great loan for Brandon’s development, and it will be a great experience for him. The 2021 MLS season hasn’t started yet, so Brandon will have a lot of time to settle in at his new club before the new season starts. This will be a great step up for Austin, he is a real leader in teams, and he is always confident and composed in his box. He showed that he could adapt to playing in a different country in a new league for him in Denmark, and so I’ve no doubts that this will be a successful loan spell for the 22 year old despite the obvious competition for a place in the side, and I’m sure that he will rise to the challenge. I would like to wish Brandon all the very best of luck for this loan move, and I very much look forward to watching him play in the MLS this season.