Tottenham fans don’t need to worry about the club failing to meet homegrown player requirements due to Oliver Skipp counting towards that quota from next season, according to Spurs insider John Wenham, who was speaking to Football Insider.
The Lowdown
Tottenham have confirmed their new Premier League squad following the closure of the January transfer window. It includes eight homegrown players, which is the minimum requirement in the English top flight. They are Brandon Austin, Matt Doherty, Japhet Tanganga, Joe Rodon, Tobi Omole, Ben Davies, Harry Winks and Harry Kane.
The Premier League defines a homegrown player as one who, “irrespective of nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).”
Next season will be the first that Skipp has been 21 or older at the time of its commencement, and concerns have been raised surrounding the inclusion of youth players such as Austin and Omole, with fans perhaps worried by the lack of senior depth in Antonio Conte’s squad.
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The Latest
However, according to club insider Wenham, this will not be an issue next season. Speaking to Football Insider, he claimed:
“I have seen a few fans worried about the homegrown issue,
“But for me, there are no worries at all. The fact that Oliver Skipp will count as homegrown for us from next season, that’s massive.
“Ryan Sessegnon and Jack Clarke are two others who will count as homegrown from next season, assuming both stay at the club.
“Dane Scarlett, Harvey White and Alfie Devine are all players who could break into that squad in the coming years and they count as homegrown.
“Naturally, it makes sense that some fans are worried but we don’t have that many foreign players over the age of 21 taking places in that squad.
“Then next year we will have Pape Matar Sarr joining but he is only 19 so, for me, there is nothing to worry about here.”
The Verdict
Wenham has assured fans that they have nothing to worry about, as Tottenham have a young squad with many prominent talents rising through the ranks. Spurs’ squad has an average age of 25.9 years, a younger average than 13 other Premier League clubs.
This should be reassuring for Lilywhites fans, as they hope that Conte can mould these youngsters into regular top-four contenders in the club’s pursuit of Champions League football. Being able to free up a non-homegrown berth from next season with Skipp’s status changing could help to bring in a game-changing player from elsewhere, so this is very welcome to hear from the club insider.
In other news: Pete O’Rourke makes Antonio Conte transfer claim