Tottenham ready to properly utilize loan system?
By Ryan Wrenn
Cameron Carter-Vickers is the latest member of Tottenham’s squad to be sent out on loan, but this time it feels different than what came before.
Mauricio Pochettino has frequently used the loan system in the past at Tottenham, but to date only exclusively as lead ups to future sales of those loaned players. Nabil Bentaleb, Federico Fazio and Clinton Njie were all sold this summer after successful loan stints last season.
The announcement two weeks ago that Josh Onomah would go out on loan to Aston Villa initially sparked some dismay from fans who had hoped for the best from the promising young midfielder. We here at HotspurHQ speculated that he would follow in the footsteps of previously loaned-out players.
That loan was different in one key way though. Onomah signed a new contract before departing for Villa, suggesting that perhaps Pochettino believes there is still a future for under-20 World Cup winner at Spurs.
Carter-Vickers also signed a new deal before completing his loan to Championship side Sheffield United, one that will keep him under Tottenham’s control until 2020.
Pochettino provided an explanation for these loans preceded by new contracts, as quoted by ESPN.
"I think after two years, nearly two-and-a-half, of working with Josh and Cameron, if they cannot reach the starting eleven regularly, this season was now the opportunity for them to move and try to play.Cameron last season really didn’t play too much. The risk is when you don’t compete when you’re young. The most important thing is to give the possibility to try to achieve and play regularly in the starting eleven. If after two seasons, you’ve not achieved that, it’s a moment to give the possibility to play in another club. Like with Kyle Walker, Danny Rose or Harry Kane.One thing is to send on loan a player before giving them the possibility and enough time to try to achieve the level that we want or we expect. If they don’t achieve that, now is the moment to give the possibility to move and play and learn and maybe then to come back and be ready to play regularly in the first team."
This adds up. Pochettino did include both Onomah and Carter-Vickers in matchday squads frequently over the last two seasons. Circumstances — be it depth at their respective positions or lack of outstanding performances — made it untenable for them to make it into the starting XI regularly.
Better for them, in Pochettino’s reckoning, to earn the experience they need elsewhere to come back to the club and once again fight for a spot in the first team.
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Or we could take the cynical view: awarding these new contracts now presumably drives up the transfer market value of the players should Villa, Sheffield United or any other club want to buy them in the near future.