“When he left”: Journalist claims Spurs didn’t expect gem they sold in 2019 to become so good

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Back in 2019, Tottenham allowed Marcus Edwards to leave for Vitória de Guimarães, putting an end to his 13-year stay at Spurs.

The Enfield-born forward was among the brightest prospects at Tottenham before his exit, with Mauricio Pochettino even likening him to Lionel Messi on one occasion.

Since his move to Portugal, Edwards has started to fulfil his vast potential, and some at Spurs may now feel like they made a mistake.

What’s the story?

Well, the 23-year-old is now shining for Sporting Lisbon, where he is set to face Tottenham in the Champions League this evening in the Group D clash at 5:45pm.

Ahead of the Group Stage clash, Jack Pitt-Brooke, who works as a Tottenham correspondent for The Athletic, spoke about Edwards and how his departure from north London was viewed at the time.

Speaking on The Athletic Football Podcast, he said: “He’s proved a lot of people wrong. When he left, people didn’t necessarily think he’d be at this level three years on.”

It was obvious that Edwards had room to improve upon leaving Tottenham, although his rise in Portugal has been nothing short of sensational.

20 goals in 96 appearances for Vitória de Guimarães led to Sporting Lisbon identifying him as a replacement for Luis Diaz, before they included a €60m (£52m) release clause into their new signing’s contract.

Clearly, those in Portugal have a lot of faith in Edwards, and if he keeps performing the way he is, Tottenham may well be tempted to trigger that release clause in a few years.

Tottenham must learn from Marcus Edwards

With Edwards now valued at £52m by Sporting Lisbon, it appears Spurs have made an error.

However, it is important that the north Londoners learn from it, and ensure they take the right approach with their next wonderkid off the production line – Dane Scarlett.

The 18-year-old is currently thriving on loan at Portsmouth, and when he returns to Hotspur Way, Spurs must be ready to take the correct steps to helping him fulfil his potential with them, rather than letting his talent slip through their fingers.