Aston Villa snubbed as Tottenham win race to sign West Brom youth talent

Tottenham have beaten Aston Villa to sign West Brom academy star Kacey Davidson.

The Baggies constantly have to deal with losing their best talents to Premier League outfits.

The Villans are a regular example as they have poached Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba and Keilan Quinn in recent years.

Another example happened in July, as Liverpool added Isaiah Bryan to their ranks from the Black Country side.

It is a challenge that Shilen Patel and the hierarchy have to sort out, as the Baggies can't continue to lose talent for minimal amounts.

They have already lost the Under-15 star, though, it seems as though nothing can be done about that.

How West Brom lost promising talent Kacey Davidson

Davidson was very highly rated in youth circles, as he notched 23 goal contributions last season, and played two groups higher than his age.

He had been with Albion since Under-nine level, but will now make the move to North London.

Spurs have won the race for his signature, securing him ahead of Villa and Brighton, according to reliable academy source, Talent Hunter on Thursday.

It states that he chose to join Roberto De Zerbi's side and has snubbed the Midlands and East Sussex sides.

How do West Brom combat youth players being poached?

Combatting the issue seems to a very difficult one, especially when players are poached at such a young age.

The Throstles simply do not have the finances to compete with the contracts that top-flight clubs can offer in the future.

They also can't really give assurances of playing time to players that are so young, as it would be a risk to have a player that is not experienced enough or old enough playing in the second tier.

They have to wait until the player proves himself as an option for James Morrison and is called up naturally to the squad, as Harry Whitwell has done.

That leaves them open to their most promising players being nabbed by rivals, it is just how it is, unfortunately.

They can try and offer contracts and game time, but even that, does not guarantee that the player will not be tempted by the riches and the glamour that the top level can provide.