Tottenham Hotspur fans have high hopes for one of their most talented young prospects. What can we tell you about him?
Luka Modric is expected to soon depart White Hart Lane, and as far as many supporters are concerned it couldn’t come quickly enough.
Gylfi Sigurdsson has already been signed, and in Sandro and Scott Parker the club have two solid midfield players capable of giving the club a steely platform from which to launch attacks.
It is a certainty that Tottenham will reinvest their Modric money, and a midfielder looks likely. Nuri Sahin and Joao Moutinho are touted as two top targets.
Beyond that, there is the returning Tom Huddlestone and the exciting Jake Livermore. Jermaine Jenas is also set to come back from loan and injury, but he is expected to head out again in search of first team football.
If Spurs were looking for somebody to attempt to follow in Livermore’s footsteps and progression to the first team, then youngster Tom Carroll is a player for who fans have particularly high hopes.
He has been actively involved in pre-season, with supporters commenting on fan forums that he looked sharper than Huddlestone.
So while Andy Carroll is a name which dominates the headlines at present, Tom Carroll is very much a name to watch for the future.
The 20-year-old midfielder has even been compared to Modric thanks to his eye for a pass, but he has a talent for goalscoring too. Reaching the world-acclaimed heights of the Croatian may be setting the bar too high at present, but aiming to one day occupy the spot he performs in for Tottenham’s first team is an achievable target.
He likes to play on the left side of midfield, but given the fact Gareth Bale appears not to be going anywhere soon, recently signing a new contract, attempting to develop in central midfield may be his best bet.
While he did not feature in the Premier League last season, Carroll picked up valuable experience for the club making five appearances in the Europa League. He also featured in the League Cup and the FA Cup. He followed it up by joining Derby County on loan, playing 12 games and scoring once.
Andre Villas-Boas’ likely formation of a three man central midfield would suit the player, and mean there is less pressure on him defensively. Once again, Premier League starts will be tough to come by, but there could be opportunities for him in the early Europa League stages once again, and the League Cup. Learning from the Portuguese coach and about his methods is another reason why he should stay where he is for the immediate future.
When January arrives, a loan move will likely be best for him. If he can secure a move to a Premier League club on loan, Swansea City or Southampton would be ideal, it would be the ideal chance to continue his development and make a name for himself.
So keep an eye out, this season is likely to be the one where Carroll, 20, steps up and begins to take his career to the next level, and give Tottenham a glimpse of what he can do in the future.
Watch this video of Carroll and fellow youngster Harry Kane in training with Spurs.
Do you agree with keeping Carroll for the first half of the season and loaning him out in January? Do you have high hopes for him?
image: © Shiraz Chakera
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
