Harry Kane will start for Tottenham at striker next season, but the next spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s pecking order is wide open at the position.
Mauricio Pochettino has taken his Tottenham squad to Singapore and Shanghai, but it’s not purely a pleasure trip for Spurs. There are meaningful spots up for grab in the Argentine’s squad. One of the biggest calls the clever gaffer will make over the next few weeks is who he will trust to provide cover at striker behind Harry Kane.
The two most likely candidates for the position are young starlet Troy Parrott and venerable veteran Fernando Llorente. The talented Spaniard is no sure bet to return to North London last season, but he and the club are still discussing a potential new contract. Per The Daily Mail, other clubs, such as Fiorentina are hoping to take Llorente out of the country instead. His future in England might well depend on what Parrott does for Tottenham during the preseason.
The Irish starlet heads out on the preseason tour as the club’s only other recognized striker. Kane will get some match time to improve his fitness ahead of the advent of the Premier League campaign, but he’s not going to be run into the ground. That means Parrott is going to get quite a bit of action.
There’s no doubt he’s the club’s future at the position, but it’s uncertain what sort of role he can play in the present. He was a prolific goalscorer at the youth level last season, but he’s yet to play a single instant of senior football for his club. Relying on such an inexperienced player would be considered a reckless move for many managers, but Pochettino is not a leader who hesitates to throw young, talented players into the fire. Simply put, he won’t feel any pressure from fans or pundits to bring in a veteran just for the sake of appearances.
That means Parrott will get an honest chance to win the position. The natural question becomes whether or not he can score enough goals during the preseason to make Llorente expendable. Of course, it’ll take more than a few isolated finishes to convince Pochettino that Parrott is ready for the big time. He’ll also keep a very close eye on the youngster’s work rate. That is a non-negotiable characteristic for a young player hoping to earn minutes under Pochettino.
The battle for backup striker at Tottenham isn’t anywhere near over. Parrott versus Llorente may not be the most high-profile decision for Pochettino heading into next season, but it is a crucial call to make.