Tottenham rising stars Troy Parrott and Paris Maghoma could be the next academy products to break into the first team, according to a reliable journalist.
In a Football London Q&A (Tuesday 3.02pm), correspondent Alasdair Gold predicted that striker Parrott, 16, and midfielder Maghoma, 17, might get an opportunity with the senior XI although “it might take an injury crisis for it to come this season”.
Gold explained that the teenagers have been training with the first team at various times this season and could join Oliver Skipp, 18, in breaking into the matchday squad.
OPINION
Skipp has only one senior appearance under his belt so far – in the League Cup – but he has featured in a number of matchday squads in the last month or two, and he is likely to get more opportunities during the busy festive period, when Mauricio Pochettino will have to juggle his resources and injuries are certain to bite even more than they have already this season. The bonus of the unavailability of senior players is that it grants opportunities to youngsters who wouldn’t otherwise get them. It’s intriguing that Spurs expert Gold rates Parrott and Maghoma as the next most likely breakthrough players. The Republic of Ireland youth striker only joined the club earlier this year but is starting to make a name for himself after netting five goals from three Spurs Under-18s matches and starting regularly for the Under-23s. Maghoma is a central midfielder but something of a goal machine, with seven strikes from 15 youth-team matches this season, an impressive rate.