Tottenham Hotspur have poached a promising youngster from the fifth tier of English football this week…
What’s the word?
The north Londoners announced on Tuesday afternoon that they had signed young left-back Charlie Sayers to their academy’s U18 squad from non-league outfit Southend United.
Is Spurs’ academy a success?
YES!
NO!
Shrimpers boss Kevin Maher waxed lyrical about the 17-year-old sensation upon his departure from Roots Hall, telling the club’s official website:
“For a young lad to get the opportunity to go to Tottenham, you can’t stand in his way.
“He broke into the team this season and to play at 17 in a really tough league shows a lot of character. He’s got a mature head on him for his young age and hopefully, he can take that forward.
“Tottenham is a brilliant football club and they’ve got some really good people there that I know well. He’ll be looked after and coached very well and it’s up to him now to take the opportunity.”
Next Danny Rose?
As a versatile left-footed defensive option and one nabbed from another club, the Lilywhites could well stumble upon their next Danny Rose, who swapped Leeds United’s youth setup for N17 back in 2007 before going on to enjoy a little over 12 years at the north London club.
It says an awful lot about a player when he has played six times at a senior level aged just 17, even more so in the tough and very physical National League, where youth isn’t usually relied upon.
Across those appearances, the youngster has played at left-back, further up the wing and as a centre-back, displaying many different attributes. One of his two central defensive displays earned his team their first clean sheet in six outings back in October.
Interestingly, Sayers must’ve excelled during his time on trial at Hotspur Way as his one U18 appearance saw him earn the captain’s armband, whilst also playing in the middle, rather than out wide.
It was former Hull City boss Phil Brown who handed the teenage talent his senior debut and he believes the towering defender is destined for a bright future in the game.
“I think Charlie Sayers has been outstanding and you have to say he has a career ahead of him, there’s no doubt about it,” said Brown (via Echo News). “He’s got two games under his belt now but is he going to make mistakes as a 17-year-old boy? Absolutely.”
Sayers will have a long way to go to break into Antonio Conte’s first-team, but the blueprint is in place for him to follow in the footsteps of Rose in north London.
AND in other news, Spurs source drops major January transfer update that’ll surely leave fans buzzing…