Next season could be a massive one for Tottenham Hotspur’s Kyle Walker-Peters.
Despite being an extremely exciting prospect, the 22-year-old has been very much on the fringes of Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Last season, he managed to make just 10 appearances across all competitions and was guilty of making a mistake in the game against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Competing for the right-back position with experienced internationals Kieran Trippier and Serge Aurier, perhaps it might not be a surprise that he has not had more opportunities, however, Juan Foyth has also been utilised in the role at times as well which cannot be an encouraging sign for Walker-Peters.
Admittedly, both the experienced full-backs have not quite cut the mustard with us over the last 12 months and it would not be a surprise to see us go out and look for a new established professional – the likes of Hiroki Sakai have been linked in the past.
And, should that happen, it seems the youngster is taking the right steps moving forward to ensure his career continues to develop and does not stagnate like some of his other Spurs team-mates – Josh Onomah and Cameron Carter-Vickers have not had the best of times developing in recent years.
According to a report by Football.London, Walker-Peters is set to hold talks with Pochettino about his role with the team next month and those discussions could help to shape his future at the club.
It would not be a surprise to see the Englishman get a chance to impress in pre-season, although it would be debatable if he can play a full season in a year where we will be looking to take our rivals all the way to the finish line once again.
If he cannot be trusted to fill a suitable role in the first-team and get regular minutes on the pitch, perhaps it would be wise for him to move out on loan to another Premier League side or a Championship outfit where those appearances would essentially be guaranteed.
If that were to happen, it would put Walker-Peters in the driving seat of his own career and could potentially be a defining moment moving forward for him.