Tottenham fans will know that their summer spending is not done yet. The Lilywhites will be keen to add some attacking flair to their side, yet they may not need to bring in a direct striker to play second fiddle to Harry Kane, as they could just use the ever-impressive Troy Parrott, who shone yesterday for Spurs.
The 17-year-old Irish striker started against Juventus in Tottenham’s first pre-season clash of the summer, and whilst he failed to get on the scoresheet, he played extremely well, making mature decisions on the ball, holding up play and linking up superbly with Heung-Min Son.
It was he who played the ball into Son on the counter-attack in the first half before making a smart run and receiving a return pass, forcing Gianluigi Buffon into a smart save which Erik Lamela tucked home on the rebound.
Without him, that first goal would never have happened, and the youngster didn’t seem at all fazed by the fact he was going up against the likes of Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Miralem Pjanic and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Whether or not the Irishman does make the step up this summer and plays a more senior role in Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham, only time will tell, but it seems that everyone at the club rates the striker very highly, and the fans are desperate to see more of him too.
Even if we just see Parrott used in rotation and for depth, coming off the bench in Premier League clashes and started in the less meaningful cup games, it would mark a brilliant step forward for someone who truly is one of the brightest youngsters at the club at the moment.
The next two pre-season games the Lilywhites play will be against Manchester United and Real Madrid, and it presents yet more opportunities for the youngster to show his class. Pochettino will almost certainly give him the game time too after yesterday, so it’s up to Parrott to take his chance.