Tottenham announced today that highly rated teenage striker Troy Parrott had signed a contract extension at the club until 2023.
The Republic of Ireland-capped forward turned 18 this week and Spurs have marked his milestone birthday with a long-term contract.
Except, it isn’t that long term, is it really?
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Things can happen so quickly in football that in 18′ months time, if things go wrong, we could be talking about cashing in on Parrott before his deal is up.
That only gives the academy graduate a small window to persuade the club that he can make the grade, and likewise the club a limited time to convince Parrott that he will be given the opportunity to prove that he can.
Because, despite banging in the goals at youth level and making an early leap onto the international stage, Parrott has played a grand total of 71 minutes for the Tottenham first team, and it is difficult to see when and how that will change.
There was an expectation that Harry Kane’s injury would grant Parrott more senior exposure, and yet he hasn’t played a minute during Kane’s layoff.
And the frankly desperate search for a striker in January, which took us from Krzysztof Piątek to Ze Luis to Willian Jose, as Football London details, showed how far Jose Mourinho is from putting his faith in the kid.
So what chance will Parrott have of more play time next season? Kane will have monopoly over the No.9 spot again, and Mourinho is still intent on adding another frontman to his attacking ranks, reports Standard Sport.
Parrott’s path to first-team football may go down the same loan road that nearly killed Kane’s chances of making it at Spurs. Each loan is a lottery and if Parrott’s numbers don’t come up, he will be back to square one.
A contract until 2023 and no longer gives Parrott an early escape route which he can take to launch his career elsewhere – probably abroad, such is the fashion these days – if he feels Spurs are holding him back.
It is a sign that neither club nor player are quite sure about the other.
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I think 3yrs signifies the lack of long term intent of the club, Jose is a short term strategy, so is this. I expect either a sale soon (end of ENIC) or the really hoping that come 3yrs they will be no where or some where rather than in the middle.