Tottenham Hotspur have some of the finest youngsters on display in European football at their club. While a few are already making headlines in the first team, Mauricio Pochettino is now busy, trying to give the youngsters a chance to shine at the highest level.
The manager is not known for sending star players on loan and it is evident in the fact that most players who have ended up on loan in the last couple of years from Spurs, have rarely made it into the starting XI at Wembley. One such player, whose career might be going down the same path is young Cameron Carter-Vickers.
The 20-year old USA international is hailed as one of the best young talents coming out of the country. He moved to England back in 2016 but is yet to break into the first team under Pochettino in the domestic league. He was loaned out to Sheffield United earlier this season, where he managed to slowly gain some faith and make 17 appearances, before the turn of the season.
However, Pochettino, for some reason, was not convinced about his chances at United and decided to call him back, only to send him back on loan to Ipswich Town. The English club announced the signing of the 20-year old on loan, until the end of the season earlier this week. So is this the end of his Spurs career?
The Argentine manager, not too long ago, labelled Vickers as a player who has the potential to turn into the best defender in England. However, the signing of Juan Foyth earlier this season saw the youngster lose his place in the first team squad. He was reduced to a role in the cup competitions before he was taken away by Sheffield United.
His 17 games in the lower tier in England would have seriously helped him but the USA star has a few issues with his game, that he needs to work on quickly. In his few outings for Spurs, he looked far too nervous with the ball at his feet and was dispossessed far too many times for the manager’s liking.
So this loan move for Vickers shows that Pochettino does not believe that he has what it takes to excel at the highest level in England yet, making this season an important one for the defender.
Ipswich, who are placed in the 12th place in the Championship points table, are just 4 points off a place in the playoffs and if Vickers can help the Blues make a strong finish to the season, he may well earn the manager’s faith yet again.
At the moment, he is an outsider for the London outfit and will have to work hard to make his way back to the first team.
