Tottenham are likely to offer a new deal to teenage midfielder Oliver Skipp, according to Football.London journalist Alasdair Gold.
The 18-year-old signed a contract with Spurs last year, but it is understood that his progression over the past 12 months could make him a candidate for an improved extension.
Writing in a piece for Football.London, Gold said: “Elsewhere in the squad, 18-year-old Oliver Skipp has progressed since his last new contract a year ago and with just two years left on his deal is likely to be offered fresh terms.”
Does Skipp deserve a new deal?
There are a lot of reasons to be very excited about Skipp.
Midfielders in his mould will never go out of style, and his tenacity and willingness to reagin possession in central areas makes him a valuable asset.
Skipp may not have a wealth of experience under his belt, having made two Premier League starts and a further eight substitute appearances, but he has an awful lot of potential, and in the relatively brief time that he has been in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans, he has been very impressive.
Last season, he averaged 2.9 tackles and 2.5 clearances per game, as well as a pass completion rate of 83.9%, as per Whoscored.
Make no mistake, he has an awful long way to go in his development, but hopes will be high that he can continue to grow at a decent rate, and if he can, then Spurs could have a real talent on their hands.
Better to tie him down now.
What next for Skipp?
Provided he does sign a new deal, and the chances are that he will, then it’s difficult to predict what he will do next.
Most clubs would farm out a player like him on a loan spell somewhere in the lower leagues, but that hasn’t always been Pochettino’s style, especially with regards to players he rates highly.
Skipp is clearly one of those, and it’s not impossible to foresee him following a similar sort of path to Harry Winks, hovering around the first team picture for a while before finally being given a sustained shot at a starting spot.