Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal to sell defender Ashley Phillips to Middlesbrough in a package that could eventually yield up to £20m.
According to a report from The Athletic, Spurs will receive an initial fee of around £7m for the 22-year-old centre-back, with up to £13m in potential add-ons and bonuses attached to the transfer.
Phillips, who joined Tottenham from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2023 for roughly £3m, is scheduled to undergo a medical ahead of signing a five-year contract. He looks set to depart N17 without ever making a senior competitive debut for the club.
Another academy departure to Teesside
Rather than breaking into the first-team picture in north London, Phillips spent the past two and a half seasons on loan in the Championship. A brief spell at Plymouth Argyle was followed by two consecutive campaigns at Stoke City, where he made 83 appearances.
The defender becomes the second Spurs youngster to make a permanent move to Kim Hellberg’s side this summer, following striker Will Lankshear to Teesside.
Defensive reshuffle and pure profit
The decision to cash in reflects a crowded central defensive room under head coach Roberto De Zerbi. Tottenham have already committed heavy funds to bring in Jan Paul van Hecke for £52m and added Marco Senesi on a free transfer, while selling Luka Vuskovic to Brighton for £46m.
While supporters always hope to see young recruits carve out a path into the starting lineup, securing a guaranteed profit on a player who never featured in a senior match is practical business. If the various clause benchmarks are eventually triggered, Spurs stand to turn a modest £3m outlay into a substantial windfall.
What happens next
Phillips is scheduled to undergo a medical before completing the move to Middlesbrough. He would join a Middlesbrough side competing in the Championship, while Spurs continue sorting through their remaining squad business.
