Tottenham’s Premier League showdown with Chelsea on Thursday could be the ideal stage for Ange Postecoglou to introduce highly-touted youngster Mikey Moore. The winger, who is considered one of the top-flight’s most promising talents in academy circles, has been training with Postecoglou’s first team and could make his senior debut in the coming weeks.
Moore might have made his Spurs’ squad debut earlier this season if it weren’t for a couple of unfortunate injuries. At the start of the season, the 16 year old suffered a fractured leg, followed by damaged ankle ligaments that sidelined him for an extended period.
Despite these injury setbacks, Moore has still managed to net an impressive 16 goals in 14 appearances for Spurs’ under-18 team. He’s also chalked up nine assists, proving that his campaign hasn’t been completely derailed by injuries.
Moore celebrated his 16th birthday on the eve of the Premier League season – and Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich. However, a standout season could see him making his senior debut in the coming weeks.
A hamstring injury to Timo Werner, which will sideline the German for the rest of the season, may pave the way for Moore to feature in the matchday squad for the trip to Chelsea. The academy starlet has travelled with his senior teammates for several games but has yet to make an appearance on the substitutes’ bench, reports the Express.
Postecoglou praised young talent Moore last week, saying: “”Mikey has been really good. Look, he’s a very talented boy and for him, he’s had a fairly disrupted season, he’s had a couple of injuries.
“When he’s performed, he’s performed really well. The reports I’ve had on him have always been outstanding. It’s been good to have him.
“Obviously we’ve had a couple of weeks without a game and it’s been good to get him involved in the first team. Again, to be fair to him he has adapted really well, he hasn’t looked out of place and it’s great for him. Hopefully it gives encouragement to him and some of the other guys who are coming through.”
Moore, who can also play as an attacking midfielder or striker, would be getting an incredible introduction to senior football by making his debut against Chelsea. The return fixture of the usually hotly-contested London derby saw Spurs receive two red cards before falling to a 4-1 defeat.
Other options to replace Werner, who suffered his hamstring injury against Arsenal, include Brennan Johnson, Richarlison and Bryan Gil.
