The Tottenham Hotspur whizkid was deprived of the chance to show how far he has come.
It’s been a very hopeful 2019 for Tottenham Hotspur gem Marcus Edwards so far.
Loaned to Dutch side Excelsior last summer, Edwards has been regularly showcasing his undeniable talent for much of the calendar year.
His form is bound to have alerted Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, who once likened him to Lionel Messi in terms of potential [The Independent].
Since that comparison, Edwards, whose loan at Norwich was terminated after six minutes of football last season, has struggled to justify the hype and it seemed like his career was declining before it had even began, amid suggestions of attitude issues [The Telegraph].
But his standard of performance in recent months is a reminder of his immense ability and Edwards will have been devastated to miss the chance to show how far he has come.
The 20-year-old was due to face Champions League quarter-finalists Ajax on Saturday, and could have faced a certain Frenkie de Jong in midfield, but Edwards never made it off the bench as Excelsior suffered a demoralising 6-2 defeat.
Dazzling against the likes of De Jong – who is joining Barcelona this summer – and Donny van de Beek in midfield would have been an incredible look for Edwards, a perfect chance to show that he’s the real deal.
But the youngster, only given seven minutes against Groningen last weekend, was stuck on the bench and deprived of the chance to test himself against the type of players who are fulfilling their potential.
It must have been a bitter pill to swallow for Edwards, given his hard work in recent months, but taking it on the chin and using the snub as motivation to improve represents perhaps an even better opportunity to show Pochettino how far he has come.
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