Dilan Markanday’s struggles go on as coach ‘feels sorry’ for ex Tottenham man

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You would struggle to find someone who has endured a more frustrating season than former Tottenham Hotspur starlet Dilan Markanday. 

After tearing his hamstring just 22 minutes into his Blackburn Rovers debut back in January of last year, Markanday would have headed into his first full campaign in senior football desperate to make up for lost time. 

Instead, a player who left Tottenham in favour of regular first-team action found himself back in the reserves. Turning out for Rovers’ U23s is probably not what he had in mind when signing on at Ewood Park.

Markanday understandably jumped at the chance to join Aberdeen on loan three months ago, then. But, as ever, the 21-year-old’s plans quickly went awry north of the border.

Former Tottenham youngster Dilan Markanday struggling at Aberdeen

Little did the Barnet-born attacker know, when marking Dons debut with a seven-minute cameo off the bench in a 3-1 home defeat by St Mirren, that this would be his only outing for the Pittodrie outfit. So far, at least.

With Aberdeen embarking upon a terrific run of form under new coach Barry Robson, Markanday has been restricted to a watching brief; Bojan Miovski and Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes going from strength to strength in attack while a player once tipped for a bright future in North London failed to get off the bench for eight straight Scottish Premiership games. 

“I feel sorry for Dilan,” Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tommasson tells Lancs Live following the forward’s latest setback. 

“It’s not something you want when you go out on loan. He was here with us training for three days during the international break. (It) was good to see him and keep that contact, so he could get some new air. 

“I feel sorry for him. Because, when you send a player out on loan, you want him to become better. And you need game-time, of course, to become better.”

Back in October 2021, Markanday was making his Tottenham Hotspur bow under Antonio Conte in a European clash with Vitesse Arnhem. That was only 18 months ago. One suspects, to Markanday, it feels like a damn sight longer.