17-year old Jann-Fiete Arp of Hamburger SV has been linked with a move to English side Tottenham Hotspur. The North London club, whose form has been in the ascendency for the last few years, saw their stocks skyrocket since the arrival of Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino. Pochettino’s stint has been very successful so far. He has not only transformed the club into genuine title contenders in England but also, given them the confidence to take on the hotshots of Europe.
Pochettino’s spell has seen Tottenham produce some truly remarkable youngsters. The Argentine tactician has assembled a side full of energetic, young players that can take the North London side to great heights should they decide to stay in the club for the long-term. There are the likes of Harry Kane and Harry Winks who have come through the club’s youth academy. While Winks is on the rise and is relatively untested, Kane has turned into one of the most ferocious strikers in the English league.
Then there are the likes of Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez who the club bought at a young age. These young players were untested in the big waters and the club’s decision to gamble on these men paid off spectacularly. Dele Alli at the age of 21 is one of the hottest prospects in Europe and everyone is well aware of the interest shown in Dier by Manchester United in the summer.
With Pochettino’s speciality being able to harness young talent, it will now be a tempting opportunity for Jann-Fiete Arp should Tottenham come calling. The English side currently has Kane and Fernando Llorente as their two forwards but Llorente is north of 30 and Tottenham will be keen to look for a long-term replacement.
The Hamburger SV star at the age of 17 has already made a mark in the game. He has played three games so far this season and scored two goals for the relegation-threatened club. Out of three appearances, one was a substitution appearance constituting hardly a minute on the pitch. In the other two matches, the 17-year-old has found the back of the net twice and the German media has now linked him with a move to the top sides in Europe.
It was reported in the summer that Chelsea came calling for him with a lucrative offer but the transfer never materialized. One reason of worry for Hamburger, however, is the fact that Arp’s contract expires in 2019 and the club is worried they will not be fairly compensated if the player decides to leave the club.
HSV will want to solve their contract crisis immediately to get a stronger hold on their negotiating power. As for Arp, the 17-year-old should simply focus on his development at HSV now, where he is getting regular game time, instead of worrying about a move to Tottenham where he will have to spend a lot of his time on the bench. Instead, if he can continue to perform at such high standards, there will not be a dearth of clubs for the talented forward in the future.
