Kallum Cesay (18) might not have been a Spurs Academy player that Spurs fans were too familiar with before our first team took on Leyton Orient in a pre-season friendly last Saturday. However, the Newham born first year pro has been an important player and regular for Spurs’ Under 18 side over the course of the last two seasons. Previously with local club West Ham United, Kallum Cesay signed scholarship forms with Spurs for the start of the 2019/20 season. During his first season full-time at Spurs, the defender who primarily plays as a right-back (he can also play at left-back and in central midfield) made 11 league appearances for Spurs at Under 18 level (he also featured in a pre-season friendly for the Under 23’s against Enfield Town), and he also featured in the FA Youth Cup and Premier League Cup for Spurs at Under 18 level during the same season. Impressing throughout that season at both right-back and in central midfield (he scored two league goals that season), Cesay made 18 competitive appearances (he scored  four goals and registered four assists) during the following 2020/21 season for Matt Taylor’s Under 18 side. Cesay established himself as an important member of the side, and he also made his competitive debut for Spurs’ Under 23 side in a 3-0 Premier League 2 win over Manchester United at Hotspur Way that same season. Cesay has since started pre-season of the 2021/22 season with the first team. Making his debut (he started the game) for them against Leyton Orient last Saturday, Cesay also came off the bench to feature against Colchester United in Spurs’ most recent pre-season friendly.

As I said before, Kallum Cesay is primarily a right-back, but he is also capable of playing on the opposite flank at left-back, and as a central midfielder. The defender is an adaptable player, who is effective at both ends of the pitch. He can be a forward thinking right-back, as he likes to get forward and often go on overlapping runs down the right flank and into the oppositions box, where he tries to be available to get to any rebounds. And he is a defender who has a real eye for goal (his goalscoring and assist record at Under 18 level speaks for itself), owing to his fine positioning in forward areas, and Kallum is also a good striker of the ball. A tall player who has a decent amount of pace, and who also gets up and down the flank really well, Kallum Cesay has great stamina. Good at linking up with the winger in front of him, Cesay is an intelligent player who can pass the ball well, but he can also stay deep in matches, as I have seen him do this on numerous occasions. Strong in the challenge and not afraid to make sliding challenges, the 18 year old is difficult to get past and can give opposition wingers difficult games. Whilst he is a steady and adaptable defender, it’s worth noting that Cesay can also play in central midfield (often as a four) where he is good at carrying the ball, bringing it forward and at helping to protect the back four, whilst also breaking up the play in the central areas of the pitch. Good on the ball but tenacious out of possession, Kallum is a player that Spurs fans should keep an eye on over the next couple of seasons.

During an Under 18 Premier League South game against Southampton back in the 2019/20 season Cesay demonstrated all of his abilities at right-back, in what was a really fine individual performance. He really grew into that match, was solid in defence, got up and down the right-flank really well, scored a good goal from a tight angle and made some excellent forward runs off the ball. In another Under 18 league game against Norwich City during the same season, Kallum stayed really deep and rarely got forward, really showing the defensive side of his game and showing how difficult he was to get beyond down Norwich’s left side of the pitch. During the Leyton Orient friendly last Saturday Kallum impressed by creating a chance after taking an excellent first touch and going on a burst forward. I really look forward to hopefully seeing Kallum become a regular for Wayne Burnett’s Under 23 side this season, and I wish him all the very best of luck for the new season.