Tottenham send clear signal about striker’s future at Spurs

Troy Parrott may not be ready to help Tottenham win matches right now, but Spurs have demonstrated their faith in him by providing him a new contract.

Tottenham’s failure to sign a striker in January may ultimately cost Spurs the ability to finish in the top four this season. The club did have one strong reason not to ink a new hitman though. Jose Mourinho and the higher-ups at Tottenham didn’t want to do anything to slow down Troy Parrott’s development.

Anyone wondering whether or not Spurs really believe in the ability of the 17-year-old Irish striker should have their doubts silenced by today’s news that he’s agreed to sign a new long-term contract with the club. He’ll need to wait until February 4th, his 18th birthday, to make things official.

This is terrific news for Spurs supporters that had grown a bit concerned about Parrott’s willingness to commit his long-term future to the club. No one in Parrott’s camp ever expressed any discontent with his status at Tottenham, but the lack of words to the contrary did cause some trepidation inside the club’s passionate fan base.

Now those worries can be dismissed entirely. It’s clear that Parrott and Mourinho are on the same page. That’s a bit surprising given the Portuguese gaffer’s unwillingness to thrust him into first team action at the moment. Tottenham lack a classic No. 9 at the moment due to Harry Kane‘s extended injury absence.

It will be interesting to see if Parrott starts to find his way onto the bench soon. The young striker would certainly have been within his rights to make that a condition of signing a new deal. That would represent a clever power play by such a young player, but it’s a strategy that Mourinho might well admire in his precocious striker.

At the very least, Parrott can expect to continue his training regimen with the rest of Tottenham’s senior squad. He should also count on extra attention from Mourinho and his coaching staff. He’s been getting specialized training for most of Mourinho’s tenure. That should help him develop at a faster rate than most prospects his age.

The lesson here for Tottenham is that Parrott continues to profile as the club’s striker of the future. That’s good news for Spurs even if they wish he was already prepared to contribute.