Hotspur HQ
Fansided

Tottenham should leap at chance to sign Manchester City youngster

By Ryan Wrenn

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 26: Jadon Sancho of Manchester City and Mason Mount of Chelsea in action during the FA Youth Cup Final, second leg between Chelsea and Mancherster City at Stamford Bridge on April 26, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 26: Jadon Sancho of Manchester City and Mason Mount of Chelsea in action during the FA Youth Cup Final, second leg between Chelsea and Mancherster City at Stamford Bridge on April 26, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Just hours before it was announced that Manchester City successfully pried Kyle Walker away from Tottenham, rumors began to circulate that a player might go in the opposite direction.

The Sun, among others, reported early Thursday that City academy product Jadon Sancho might be on his way out, and Tottenham are among the possible beneficiaries.

It would not be unfair to say that the 17-year-old is the jewel of City’s academy system system his age. Pep Guardiola’s already invited him to train with the first team and, indeed, is anxious to get him signed onto a new contract as soon as possible.

Unlike Spurs’ own saga with convincing their own wunderkind Marcus Edwards to stay last summer, City’s efforts might come to nothing.

Mauricio Pochettino will have to contend with Arsenal, along with foreign clubs like the Bundesliga’s RB Leipzig, at least according to the Sun. That should not deter the club however.

The fact is that Pochettino’s project at Spurs is built to nurture talent like Sancho’s. Though there continues to be a heavy reliance on players purchased on the transfer market, Academy players and other youngsters are slowing growing into the team.

Harry Kane remains the shining success story, but Sancho might also be encouraged by the path Dele Alli and Harry Winks took to the first team squad, as well as how close Josh Onomah, Kyle Walker-Peters and Cameron Carter-Vickers all seem to getting more minutes in the coming season.

If his highlight reel is any indication, Sancho already has what it takes to rocket past Spurs’ current prospects and fight for a shot in the first team.

The young Englishman possess the technical ability and ball control that Guardiola has a long history of prioritizing in his players. He’s quick, but doesn’t even really need to be. Time and time again we see Sancho glide past defenders with ease, always finding space — often to devastating ends.

He’s such a Guardiola-type player that it’s genuinely hard to believe that City let him leave. Even if the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva all stand in between him and a first team berth, there is some amount of money that will convince him to stay — and City undoubtedly have it.

If he leaves though, and Spurs are lucky enough to acquire him, it would be an absolute coup. Pochettino has plenty of talent on his team, but there is a distinct lack of crafty dribblers in attacking positions. That hasn’t hurt them a lick so far of course, but there isn’t a football team out there that wouldn’t benefit from having a player available that can work up some individual magic when Plan A breaks down.

Next: Is Porto's Ricardo Pereira set for a move to Tottenham?

That player could be Sancho. Spurs obviously have more pressing priorities after Walker’s exit. Another right-back, for one, along with perhaps some cover in defense and midfield. But Pochettino would be a fool not to drop anything at the first sign that Sancho is available.