Talented young defender Jubril Okedina is a potential Tottenham star of the future.
Tottenham Hotspur youngster Jubril Okedina was the surprise goalscorer in the club’s EFL Trophy defeat to Ipswich Town on Tuesday night.
Spurs’ under-21 side lost the game 2-1, and it was a hard fought game against a much rotated Ipswich side featuring senior players.
Okedina’s goal and performance was noteworthy because he is player Tottenham would dearly love to make it to a first team level.
The 18-year-old is able to play at both centre-back and right-back – doing both for the under-18s last season, areas where the North London side need more options.
Okedina is a way off at the moment, perhaps a couple of years away from challenging. His task is to try and accelerate that timeframe and earn a place on the club’s pre-season tour next year.
He has worked his way up from the under-16s, to the under-18s, and this season has been a regular for Tottenham’s under-23s.
This season he has been featuring as a right-back, and did so at Portman Road. This is the area where Tottenham’s first team is currently most needy.
Kyle Walker-Peters is first choice at the moment, but as his injury showed at the weekend, it’s a muddle after that, with Serge Aurier seemingly not in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans.
Okedina is in a great position to succeed, as Tottenham’s first choice right-back at under-23 level, and the EFL Trophy ties are a good test for him.
It might even get to the stage where Pochettino decides it is better to play a young player with experience in the role, over a makeshift option like Davinson Sanchez, should a similar situation arise again.
The onus is on Okedina to make the most of his opportunity, and scoring goals will certainly help him catch Pochettino’s eye.
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