Sources: Tottenham sensation Devine hit by major injury blow
Tottenham sensation Alfie Devine has suffered a hamstring injury and faces an extended spell on the sidelines, Football Insider can exclusively reveal.
The midfielder, 17, had been hoping to impress new boss Antonio Conte after failing to make a first-team appearance under Nuno Espirito Santo.
But a Spurs source has told Football Insider that Devine has broken down with a hamstring injury and that is why he has missed recent matches.
Mystery had surrounded the teenager's absence from the last three Tottenham Under-23s games after he had started the previous eight this term.
His muscle injury has coincided with the appointment of Conte in what is a blow to Devine's hopes of making an impression.
He was able to do that with former boss Jose Mourinho, who made him Spurs' youngest-ever player when handing him his debut in January of this year aged 16 years and 163 days.
Devine memorably marked that occasion with a goal away at Marine in the FA Cup.
He has continued to develop since that time and was on the Spurs first-team bench for the game at Brighton on 31 January 31 before signing his first professional contract on his 17th birthday in August.
Regular Tottenham observers are in no doubt that the starlet is a future regular for club and country if he continues to develop.
The former Wigan Athletic youngster, who operates in various midfield and attacking midfield roles, has been a regular scorer for the Under-23s this season.
His eight matches have yielded six goals and two assists, including a double in a 2-1 win against Liverpool.