Mauricio Pochettino is “not fully convinced” by Leeds United attacker Jack Clarke despite Tottenham being in need of adding homegrown talent to their squad, according to the London Evening Standard.
The newspaper claims that Spurs have too many overseas players in their squad for the Champions League but it does not seem as though Clarke, 18, is someone that the Premier League giants will make a move for based on Pochettino’s stance.
It is understood that the Argentine is also unconvinced by Hull attacker Jarrod Bowen, even though he has scored 14 Championship goals this season.
OPINION
You can understand why Pochettino wouldn’t want to sign Clarke. The 18-year-old has only made three starts in the Championship for Leeds this season and in those games he hasn’t had anywhere near as much of an impact when he has been used as a second-half impact substitute. To be good enough for a top-six Premier League side, you have to be grabbing games by the scruff of the neck in the Championship, and Clarke is only doing that when he is used off the bench. Clarke still has the potential to be a great player but he would be a needless signing for Tottenham right now and a deal to sign him when he’s not ready for the Premier League could severely disrupt his development. Bowen would be a more suitable target for Pochettino if wants to increase the number of homegrown players in his squad. He is 22-years-old and scoring goals galore for Hull. The ex-Hereford winger wouldn’t walk into Spurs’ first team but he is at a much more advanced stage than Clarke, who has a long way to go.