Spurs fans received the news that 22-year-old right-back Kyle Walker-Peters had been left at home ahead of their trip to Red Star Belgrade, with many feeling that could spell the end of his career with the North London club.
A tweet from Ricky Sacks reported to fans that Walker-Peters, alongside fellow academy graduate Harry Winks, would not travel to Serbia for their crucial Champions League Group B clash. The youngster has made just four first-team appearances for Spurs so far this season, with Serge Aurier often being preferred to the 22-year-old.
Walker-Peters made his Spurs debut in a Carabao Cup win over Barnsley in 2017 and was tipped for big things by a lot of Spurs fans, but has been unable to tie down the right-back position in recent years. The academy graduate is, of course, still very young, but he hasn’t progressed in the way many at Spurs thought he would. Considering the departures of fellow right-backs Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier in recent years, it is perhaps a surprise to see that Walker-Peters has made just 12 Premier League appearances under Mauricio Pochettino.
Reactions from Spurs fans to the news that Walker-Peters will be staying in England instead of travelling to Serbia with the squad can be seen in the tweets below.
Kwp is finished at spurs
— Kieren Flanagan (@KierenFlanagan) November 5, 2019
KWP needs to leave he can’t get at game time at all and his development is being hampered by poch
— Matthew (@mrcorney) November 5, 2019
I get winks cause his forms not been great and kwp is just not good enough for spurs
— Negative Spurs Fan (@Bartholemwhosav) November 5, 2019
Sadly it’s a wrap for KWP at Spurs. Poch barely gave him a chance.
— ap (@otheranthony) November 5, 2019
Pochettino out
— Robert Lycett (@RJLEssex1) November 6, 2019
Oh wow
— H.M.COYS7 ( LoCelsoSZN ) (@COYSLP7v2) November 5, 2019
Spurs fans clearly feel as if the young right-back’s time at Spurs may be coming to an end, despite him never really getting a chance under Pochettino.
What do we think?
It is a surprise that Walker-Peters has been out of the side in recent times when we consider the poor form of Serge Aurier, who has been a liability on several occasions for Spurs since joining from PSG in 2017.
It seems as if Walker-Peters is unlikely to force himself into Pochettino’s first-team plans anytime soon, so a January move away may be the 22-year-old’s best option.