Mauricio Pochettino has claimed that Marcus Edwards reminds him of Erik Lamela.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino during a press conference
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has told the Daily Mail that he thinks teenager Marcus Edwards reminds him of current Spurs star Erik Lamela.
Spurs are in EFL Cup action tonight, as they host Gillingham at White Hart Lane – and ahead of this weekend’s trip to Middlesbrough, Pochettino is expected to rotate his side.
England’s Marcus Edwards
Some young players are in line to play, such as Cameron Carter-Vickers, Harry Winks and Joshua Onomah, but Spurs fans are eager to see Marcus Edwards in action.
Edwards, 17, has come up through the ranks at White Hart Lane, and having impressed in the youth setup, he was handed a chance to impress during pre-season.
His displays excited Tottenham supporters, as the diminutive playmaker was skilful and direct, with his close control and dribbling ability earning some lofty comparisons.
Tottenham’s Erik Lamela reacts
Many fans have compared Edwards to Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, and whilst that seems outrageous considering the Argentinian’s standing in world football, manager Pochettino has in fact told the Daily Mail that Edwards also reminds him of Messi.
Intriguingly though, Pochettino also compared Edwards to current Tottenham star Erik Lamela, with Pochettino nothing how similar Edwards is to Lamela during his formative years in Argentina with River Plate.
Pochettino added that he thinks Edwards has everything to be a top, top player, but Tottenham must be patient with him giving his youth, and he may well feature against Gillingham this evening.
Tottenham’s Marcus Edwards in action against Alex Sandro of Juventus
“The qualities – it’s only looks, his body and the way that he plays – remember a little bit from the beginning of Messi,” said Pochettino. “He’s small, he’s left-footed, I remember a little bit (Erik) Lamela when he was at River Plate, remember he had long hair, when he was 14, 15 years old, there is a lot of videos on YouTube that you can see, that he took the ball, didn’t give a pass and shot straight away.”
“He (Edwards) is a very good prospect and potentially he can be a top player, but we need to be patient and tell him that he has a lot of talent, enough talent to be a top player, a great player. But now it’s how he builds his future, that’s very important. And it’s our responsibility to tell him,” he added.
Are you excited to see Edwards in action?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
