OPINION
20-year-old Marcus Edwards likely has no future at Tottenham, despite putting in one of his best loan performances at the weekend.
Edwards went out on loan to Dutch side Exclesior in the summer, where he’s scored two goals and added two assists in 14 games. Tottenham fans started talking about their forgotten man again this weekend after videos surfaced of him scoring an impressive goal on Sunday.
But it seems that his disastrous loan spell at Norwich, where his attitude was questioned and his deal was terminated early, has convinced Mauricio Pochettino that he has no future in north London.
Writing in his weekly subscriber email, Telegraph journalist Matt Law said today, “Ironically enough, this could have been the year Tottenham Hotspur’s ‘mini Messi’ finally made his first-team breakthrough.
“But when Son Heung-min was away at the Asia Cup and Harry Kane and Dele Alli were both injured, nobody was debating whether or not Marcus Edwards should have been recalled from his loan at Excelsior.
“Edwards has in many ways become the forgotten wonderkid since Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino accidentally gave him his Messi nickname – until he scored an eye-catching goal for the Dutch club at the weekend.
“Online articles appeared within hours questioning whether Edwards could save Spurs millions in the transfer market and be handed a second chance by Pochettino, but the answer can probably be found on the club’s official website where there was no mention of the goal.
“Now aged 20 and approaching three years since Pochettino mentioned him in the same breath as Messi, Edwards has fallen off the radar at Tottenham since his failed loan spell at Norwich City.
“His contract runs to 2020 and it is still expected he will leave Spurs permanently or continue to go out on loan up to that date.”
Edwards could still have a bright future in the game – that much is clear from the fine gaol he scored at the weekend – but it is highly unlikely to be at Tottenham.
Pochettino doesn’t suffer fools gladly and he doesn’t forgive easily. Edwards’ fate was seemingly sealed at Norwich and he’s got until the summer of 2020 to convince another club to take a punt on him.
That’s a shame for Tottenham, but it’s a bigger shame for the player, who had the world at his feet, and in Tottenham and Pochettino, a home where young talent would have every chance to make its mark.