Earlier in the week, Tottenham Hotspur announced their 25 man Premier League squad given the current cap on foreign players and the need to have a homegrown core in the first-team group.
Whilst it was largely as fans would’ve expected the selections to be under manager Mauricio Pochettino given the pecking order at the club – for example, given the news so far this season not seeing Vincent Jansson’s name appear didn’t come as a shock to anyone.
One name did appear though and reports covering this have slightly skewed things for headline purposes.
As well as announcing the 25 men selected to make up our squad that are in contention for games in the opening half of the year until the January transfer window, players who fall under the homegrown tag and are under 21-years-old are also automatically named and included as a secondary list, as they remain in contention and can be called upon.
That is why 17-year-old Maurizio Pochettino finds himself listed as he’s presumably expected to step up to the Under 23 group at points this year and not as intimated elsewhere, that Poch has found a space for his son but he couldn’t for Jansson and other utterly irrelevant things I’ve read.
Nepotism?
— Phil Lucas (@polo_phil) September 5, 2018
???? Better than Llorente.. why not
— cengo (@ForzaYids) September 5, 2018
Maurizio Pochettino, he’s magic you knoo-w
— Flat Oeuf (@FlatOeuf) September 5, 2018
break into the first team to backup Harry Kane.
— Levy and Lewis Out (@RealDGGHD) September 5, 2018
He’s not very good unfortunately
— * (@OneLukeAmos) September 6, 2018
For now, just because he hasn't hit the ground running like Skipp at the academy doesn't mean he wont be anything, Rashford never stood out in United's academy but look at him now they can hit the ground running at any age just have to be patient when they're so young
— Jess Mcsweeney (@McsweeneyJess) September 6, 2018
So this is the reason we did't sign anyone. So he could promote his son (Y) great 😉
— Vangen (@Vangen10) September 6, 2018
What a joke
— Matt Walters (@mattwalters28) September 6, 2018
Mauricio we all know that’s you .. ????
— Ricky Sacks ???? (@RickSpur) September 5, 2018
He hasn’t been included in our 25 man squad, he’s acknowledged as a viable homegrown player that is outside of the 25 man squad but could be called on.
As an aside, there are over 50 youngsters included in that secondary list.