Five potential future Spurs stars

If the marriage between Jose Mourinho and Daniel Levy is to be successful, then both parties need to compromise their ways in a manner they have perhaps not done before.

Firstly, Levy must give Mourinho some leeway in the transfer market to rejuvenate a squad that arguably stagnated in the latter stages of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign.

Equally, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was a huge investment and the club is not yet possessing of the funds or pull to land Europe’s most sought after players, so there does need to be a new-found commitment from Mourinho’s side to develop talent.

If – and it’s a big ‘if’ – Mourinho is willing to give opportunities to young players, then here are five who could thrive in the coming years.

Jack Roles

Last season, Cambridge United averaged 0.87 goals per game and 1.22 Expected Goals For (xGF).

This season, they average 1.11 goals per game and 1.28 xGF.

They are creating a higher volume of chances, at a higher quality and are more productive in the final third – not an enormous shift, but a notable one nonetheless.

The key difference?

Loanee Jack Roles.

The creative Cypriot averages 2.2 key passes per game and 2.3 successful dribbles per game, making him one of just two League Two players to average above 2 in both metrics – the other is Danny Mayor, who has nine years more experience.

While Roles can operate as an attacking midfielder or wide left in a 4-2-3-1, he plays predominantly as a left-sided central midfielder.

This means that when Tottenham’s known attacking players are not quite breaking a team down, Roles will be capable of offering alternative creativity and guile.

Not exactly a like-for-like replacement for Christian Eriksen, but one to watch all the same.

George Marsh

Although Marsh might have the lean build of a youngster who has been schooled at a Premier League youth academy over the last five years, he is deceptively well-equipped for a battle.

On loan at Leyton Orient, the 21-year-old completes 2.9 successful tackles per 90 minutes, which is the most out of all midfielders under 22 in League Two.

Although a midfielder by trade, Marsh has been content to slot in at right-back once and still be one of the best players on the park, thus highlighting his adaptability.

Marsh has a real eye for a pin-point cross-field pass and a cushioned first touch, so could adjust to a higher level with some ease.

Luke Amos

Amos has become a hit since joining QPR on loan from Tottenham.

Not quite possessing of the discipline to be the holding midfielder that Dominic Ball is, but not quite as technically advanced as Ebere Eze, the 22-year-old has carved out a niche as the all-rounder.

Amos will offer support in various phases of play.

He can offer himself to the defence in his own half and be relied upon to retain possession, with an 83% pass completion rate.

The Ware Youth product also averages 2.2 tackles per game and 1.3 interceptions, which shows he can be supportive in the press and is not short of pace, power or stamina.

Amos’ season was, initially, disrupted by injury but he has continually progressed over the last six weeks and could be in for an excellent second half of the season, as QPR – 16/1 with Betway for a top six finish as of 15th January – look to stay within sight of the Play-Off places.

Jack Clarke

Mark Warburton’s developmental work with Amos has likely earnt him and the Rs a good reputation with Spurs so Jack Clarke, who signed last January, may join him out on loan.

Clarke is a quick, tricky winger with the confidence to take on a full-back as well as the ability to play on either flank.

The 19-year-old will not be spoon-fed his place in the XI at Loftus Road, with the silky-footed Ilias Chair and raw speedster Bright Osayi-Samuel also impressing out wide.

Clarke has huge potential, as he showed last season at Leeds United, but he was a signing instigated by Daniel Levy, rather than any member of the management or recruitment team.

Indeed, Mauricio Pochettino, renowned for development of players, reportedly forced the loan move back to Elland Road in January – and it may be hard to see Jose Mourinho adopting a more open-minded stance, at least not without seeing more evidence of his capabilities.

Clarke is currently perceived as a member of the youth setup, rather than a first team contender and he needs an outstanding loan spell to begin closing the gap on the match-day squad.

If nothing else, he should relish the expansive style of football that Warburton favours.

Ryan Sessegnon

When Sessegnon scored 15 goals to fire Fulham to promotion in 2017-18, the key was his position change.

After a November 2-0 loss at Wolves in which the youngster looked defensively vulnerable, Slavisa Jokanovic moved him to the left of an attacking trio.

From that position, he scored a hat-trick in a 5-4 victory at Sheffield United to catalyse a run of 15 goals in 33 games.

It is a common misconception that, because Sessegnon is exciting, young and plays out wide that he must therefore be good at dribbling.

Rather, the teenager is at his best when not involved, too heavily, in the build-up play.

In some respects, he needs to be able to drift out of a game to deceive opponents into losing track of him, which is where he can pop up unchartered at the back-post and produce cool, assured finishes.

Jose Mourinho played Samuel Eto’o, a striker by trade, on the left-wing in his 2010 Champions League winning Inter Milan side; though inexperienced, Sessegnon may try to fulfil a similar role.