OPINION
One area where many would say Tottenham need new recruits is their centre forward options with a distinct lack of quality sitting behind star man Harry Kane.
Neither Fernando Llorente nor Vincent Janssen have lived up to expectations in north London and it seemed as though one, if not both, would be on their way in the January transfer window to make room for a new arrival.
Instead they both remained and it was an exit, rather than an incoming, which caught the attention on deadline day with Kazaiah Sterling making a last-minute loan move to north east giants Sunderland.
At 20-years-old the striker is one of the next generation of Tottenham talents, coming through at the same time as Oliver Skipp and Kyle Walker-Peters but unlike his youth teammates, he has just nine minutes of first team action for the Lilywhites this season.
Speaking out about his move to the Stadium of Light, he insisted it was for game time, telling the Chronicle: “That (the possibility of game time at Tottenham) was definitely on my mind but I felt that, turning 20, this would be a better chance for me to play regular football rather than get on for 5mins.”
With Kane currently out injured, surely Sterling would have been given more of a chance had Llorente and/or Janssen been shipped out last month.
The senior duo’s presence at Spurs is not only disappointing in terms of their own performances but a let down for those waiting for their first team opportunity, Harry Winks and Skipp demonstrating what could happen if you take a chance on youth when there are no other options available.
Unfortunately for Sterling he had hurdles in the shape of the experienced pair to overcome and for as long as the flops remain, more youth talent will be stifled.