Luca Williams-Barnett’s current Tottenham contract only runs until the summer of 2028, and with several top clubs monitoring the youngster, Spurs need to move quickly to secure his long-term future.Roberto De Zerbi finally opened the safe on his ‘precious diamond’ during Saturday evening’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, handing the 18-year-old academy prospect his much-anticipated Premier League debut.The Italian had been cautious about introducing Williams-Barnett all season, understandably not wanting to throw him in at the deep end, as Spurs have looked shaky towards the end of games, where introducing an inexperienced teenager would be a risky gamble.Saturday’s fixture, however, presented the perfect opportunity. Spurs had a two-goal lead and a man advantage when the youngster was brought on with just two minutes of normal time remaining.And it proved to be enough for Williams-Barnett to leave his mark. He impressed with some excellent footwork and dribbling, and could even have marked his debut with an assist. After working his way into the box, he laid the ball on a plate for Mohammed Kudus at the back post, only for the Ghanaian to somehow miss an open goal.But even if Tottenham had not been in such a comfortable position, De Zerbi would arguably have had little choice but to find the youngster some minutes sooner rather than later.Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty ImagesLuca Williams-Barnett’s contract can only run until the summer of 2028The versatile attacking midfielder has spent much of this season training with Tottenham’s senior squad. His last competitive appearance before the Palace game came for the Under-21s against Manchester City on September 19, when he scored and provided an assist in a 4-2 victory.He has not featured for the Under-21s since, nor had he been given any minutes with the first team until his cameo against Palace.That lack of game time had prompted concerns from several pundits, who warned that keeping a youngster with so much potential away from competitive football could harm his development and that De Zerbi, who had backed himself in the summer to be an expert in working with and developing young players, should manage him better.There is also a big contractual issue Tottenham need to keep in mind. Luca signed his first professional contract in October 2025, when he was 17. Under FIFA rules, professional contracts signed by players under the age of 18 cannot exceed three years, meaning his current deal cannot run beyond the summer of 2028.It has been reported by the club’s insiders that the prospect of receiving first-team minutes during the current season was something that was discussed when he signed that deal. Based on what’s happened so far, Luca would probably not be too satisfied.Talks over a new contract are understood to be already ongoing, although there has been no significant development yet.One would imagine the versatile attacking-midfielder will want greater assurances over his playing opportunities before committing his future. A loan move could, therefore, offer a solution, allowing him to gain regular senior football without Tottenham losing control of his future. Florian Plettenberg has confirmed Spurs’ intention to keep the midfielder, also describing him as ‘one to watch over the next two transfer windows’ and that ‘a move is currently being planned’, with several top Premier League and Bundesliga clubs said to be monitoring his situation.Other outlets, including The Sun and Football Insider, have named Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and Manchester United among the interested clubs. One common thread in those reports, however, is that Tottenham are not willing to entertain a permanent departure.As a result, a move to a club further down the pyramid could prove more realistic if regular first-team football is the priority.Steven Gerrard is the latest to hail Tottenham youngster Luca Williams-BarnettWilliams-Barnett’s talent has not gone unnoticed. Several prominent figures in football, including Dele Alli and Jamie Redknapp, have already spoken highly of the youngster, and Premier League legend Steven Gerrard is the latest to join that list.Speaking on The Overlap after watching his cameo against Crystal Palace, Gerrard said:“I loved one moment from the game. Williams-Barnett, a name I’ve heard mentioned to me through the England ranks a few times.“But he came on for a little cameo, and if I’m a Tottenham fan, I’m going away buzzing with the result, and Spurs are obviously in this new place, but this young kid is going to be a player.“I’ve seen enough in the 10-minute cameo. He came on around the 80th minute; he went on this little jinky run down the left and put a ball across like Declan Rice.“I just thought, ‘They’ve got their own little Rio Ngumoha’. So look out for this boy, I really like him.”That is some praise from a player who knows a thing or two about spotting young talent. Tottenham have clearly got an exciting prospect on their hands. Now they need to make sure they do everything possible to keep him.READ MORE: Luca Williams-Barnett leaves Tottenham sources ‘blown away’ by what he is doing behind the scenes – Spurs WebThe post Tottenham must solve Luca Williams-Barnett’s contract problem as soon as possible appeared first on Spurs Web.