Academy manager Sammy Morgan has dismissed reports of Tottenham targeting U18s striker Caolan Lavery. The Northern Ireland U21 international was claimed to be interesting the North Londoners having impressed them during their 2-1 defeat of the Blues last Saturday.
But Morgan says there is nothing in the tabloid claims of a £500,000 move for the Canada-born frontman: "That is pure speculation, paper talk.”
Lavery, who underwent a minor knee operation yesterday to clean it up after more serious surgery earlier in the season, has not yet been offered a pro deal by the Blues but his academy scholarship has been extended until October due to his three-month absence with the original knee injury.
Morgan, who has tipped Josh Carson to win full Northern Ireland honours sooner rather than later, says it’s been a good season for the academy with the midfielder joining the first team ranks: "You’re always looking to try to get a couple of boys in there. Connor’s been there for a while and we needed someone else to come in.
"Luke Hyam came in early, probably earlier than I thought, and then he picked up an injury. Then we had a change of management and results were paramount, and you can’t blood young players when results are paramount. I totally understand that.
"It’s one of the hard things for a manager, knowing when to give a young player a chance when results and points are at stake.”
Meanwhile, released central defender Josh Meekings is understood to be impressing during his trial at Stevenage, which TWTD was first to reveal last Wednesday. Meekings, 18, played for Boro’s reserves on Tuesday in a 2-0 defeat at Southend.
Morgan says the club do what they can to find those not being kept on at Portman Road new clubs: "The most difficult part of my job is telling lads that they’re not here for the following season, but we try as hard as we can to get them fixed up.”