Tottenham transfer policy heaps pressure on young Spurs

Tottenham’s youth must step up this season

Tottenham got off to a fast start in the summer transfer window with the purchases of Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen. Unfortunately, business has come to a halt since then. That means several Spurs Academy products are going to have to take the place of new signings.

Further complicating the club’s lack of purchases is the fact that several stars are leaving White Hart Lane. Nabil Bentaleb, Ryan Carroll and possibly others, will likely leave the club in the next five days.

While it’s possible Spurs could still land a few transfers in the next coming days, it’s looking more and more likely the purchases will be minimal. Manager Mauricio Pochettino knows that means some of the team’s young talent will be counted on in the first team. He wants Spurs to bring forward young talent in a manner similar to that of Barcelona.

The Catalan giants will be a tough act for Tottenham to follow. Fortunately, Spurs have four young players who have the ability to step into the void.

Josh Onomah

Onomah is a name and face that most Spurs fans are already familiar with. The 19-year-old midfielder made eight substitute appearances in Premier League action last season. He also started two Europa League matches under Pochettino.

So far, he’s looked right at home in Premier League action, but he hasn’t managed to produce many tangible results. His challenge is to stop being satisfied with just fitting in and push himself to stand out.

He’s clearly got a ton of ability and the trust of his demanding manager. If Tottenham don’t purchase another attacking player before the end of August, Onomah is going to get a ton of playing time.

Harry Winks

Harry Winks is another name and face that Spurs fans have grown accustomed to already. Unlike Onomah, he’s set to provide cover for Tottenham’s defensive midfield.

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Right now, Tottenham look to have three defensive midfielders firmly entrenched in the first team. Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier have started both of the club’s Premier League encounters to start the year, and Mousa Dembele will likely rejoin the starting XI when he returns from suspension. Three defensive midfielders are not enough to absorb all of the fixtures Tottenham will experience this year.

Winks has a golden opportunity to seize the fourth defensive midfield spot. That means he’ll likely see a lot of Cup playing time and could easily find himself on the Premier League bench for long stretches.

He’s taken a giant leap forward this season with his willingness to put his body on the line for the club. He’s become a real agitator which only endears him to his manager and the passionate Tottenham fan base.

Marcus Edwards

No Tottenham youngster has captured the imagination of the Spurs fan base than midfielder Marcus Edwards. The YouTube sensation is just scratching the surface of his immense potential. He has the ability to become a superstar.

If Onomah fails to nail down a bench role early in the season, it’ll open the door for Edwards. He isn’t ready for Premier League action right now, but there’s no telling how fast he might develop. I wouldn’t surprise anyone if Edwards was a key figure off the Tottenham bench by the end of the Premier League season.

Pochettino doesn’t want to rush the slick midfielder, but his talent may prove to be too big of a temptation if Spurs need a little offensive magic down the stretch.

Shayon Harrison

At the current point in time, Harrison might be the club’s third-choice striker. Harry Kane and Vincent Janssen are certainly ahead of them in the pecking order, but the picture is pretty hazy after those two.

Nacer Chadli and Son Heung-Min might get the nod before Harrison, but one or both of those two could be sold before the window slams shut. If they are gone, Harrison is going to be faced with an immense opportunity.

Of the four players in this piece, he’s the one with the most question marks. He’s scored goals at the U21 level, but he may not be quite good enough to impact the senior squad. He may be thrown in the deep end regardless.

What does it all mean?

I feel pretty good about Onomah and Wink’s ability to contribute to the first team right now. They’ve already shown enough to make the likes of Ryan Mason, Tom Carroll and Nacer Chadli expendable.

Edwards may still be a year away from being able to help in the Premier League. He’ll get some Cup playing time this season, but shouldn’t be counted on until the second half of the campaign. If all goes well, he could provide the club a big boost when the grind of the season starts to wear on some of the starting attackers.