It felt somewhat fitting that, on Tuesday night at the Riverside, Ryan Sessegnon went head-to-head with Isaiah Jones.
The Championship’s one-time Golden Boy going eye-to-eye with the man who inherited his crown. And as Tottenham Hotspur were consigned to yet another trophyless season – Bedale-born Josh Coburn scoring the most fairytale of FA Cup winners after rising through the Middlesbrough ranks – it was difficult not to draw comparisons between the direction of Sessegnon’s career and Jones’ own development.
After impressing in Saturday’s 4-0 dismantling of Leeds United, an ineffective performance against second-tier opposition epitomised Tottenham’s season as a whole and Sessegnon’s role within it.
A player who joined Spurs as a £25 million teenager less than three years ago was subbed off after 81 minutes at the Riverside, his influence at either end of the pitch perhaps best described as minimal.
The same could not be said of Jones.
Is Isaiah Jones the signing Conte needs?
Much of the pre-match build-up, at least from a Middlesbrough perspective, centred around a 22-year-old winger who was plying his trade in the Scottish Championship with Queen of the South last season.
According to TEAMtalk, Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Leeds United, West Ham and Wolves are keeping tabs on Jones. So are Atletico Madrid, Ajax, RB Leipzig, Lyon and Roma.
And, perhaps most intriguingly of all, Tottenham Hotspur.
Perhaps the scariest thing about Jones’ eye-catching performance against Harry Kane and co is that the home supporters have grown accustomed to even better from this season’s breakthrough star.
Yes, Jones was impressive. He certainly grew into the game, his confidence increasing with almost every touch. There was diligent defending, a handful of sublime touches and some trademark, pinpoint deliveries from the right-hand side.
But if you were to rank Jones’ performances this season in order, the one against Tottenham probably wouldn’t even make the top ten.
“He is so quick running with the ball, his deliveries are good and he does not stop running,” Jonathan Woodgate, formerly of Spurs and Boro, tells the BBC.
“You can see how good he is.
“As a defender, you hate playing against pace and he has that in abundance. The reason why they did not bring back Djed Spence from Nottingham Forest is because of Isaiah Jones and how good he’s been.”
How much will Jones cost?
Everyone knows that, in his 3-5-2 formation, Antonio Conte relies heavily upon his wing-backs for creativity.
And, as Spurs suffered their fifth defeat in eight games in the North East, Isaiah Jones proved that, when it comes to providing end product and creativity in the final third, none of the full-backs currently on Tottenham’s books can hold a candle to a player Middlesbrough snapped up from non-league Tooting and Mitcham.
In fact, if there is one negative that can be taken from Middlesbrough’s second FA Cup giant-killing of the season, it’s that the increasingly-coveted Jones is starting to show off his talents to a far wider audience.
Tottenham – and Conte – had a front row seat.
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