Alan Hutton has told Mikey Moore the ball is in his court to earn his chance at Tottenham or he will be moved on after a new contract development.
Spurs confirmed on Monday (12 August) that the 17-year-old had put pen to paper on his first professional contract with the Lilywhites, having made his first-team debut against Manchester City last term.
Moore’s contract in North London is reportedly a three-year deal and it is record-breaking for Spurs as his wage is the most they have ever offered a player before their 17th birthday [The Athletic, 6 July].
While Hutton believes Postecoglou will be more than willing to throw the teenager into his first team this season, he thinks it will be down to Moore to show that he has what it takes to play regularly in the Premier League.
“I think if they’re good enough he’ll give them an opportunity,” Hutton exclusively told Reporters.
“But they’re going to have to work really hard. I’ve seen Ange at Celtic and now at Spurs and we’ve seen the way that he plays, it’s so intense.
You even see him in pre-season screaming at the players, he wants them to go man for man, he wants them to be aggressive and it’s difficult for a young player to get to that level.
“But seeing that they’re now giving out new contracts to young players, there always has to be a pathway to the first team because if there’s not, what’s the point in having a youth development side?
You need to be breaking these young boys through and I think Ange is the kind of guy to give them the opportunity if they’re good enough.
“Really the ball is in their court. If you can get to the level, then you’ll get that chance. If not, they’ll move them on.”
Will Mikey Moore exit Tottenham on loan after contract announcement?
Everyone at Spurs clearly believes that Moore has what it takes to break into the first team fold sooner rather than later, otherwise, they wouldn’t have offered him such a big first professional contract.
But it is now down to the teenager to kick on and stake his claim for a first-team place over the coming weeks and months as he will likely be treated in a similar manner to any other member of Postecoglou’s team.
In his brief cameos last term and appearances in pre-season, Moore showed that he has the ability to be a special player, but now it is down to him to show that he can do that on the biggest stage.
Hopefully, fans will get to see plenty of him this year as he really is a special talent.
