Alasdair Gold has concerns that one extremely talented Tottenham youngster may be moved on by the North London club without getting an opportunity.
Spurs have shown a bit of ruthlessness in the way they have operated in the current transfer window after coming dangerously close to relegation last season.
They have wasted no time in getting top-class additions through the door, having already broken their transfer record twice this summer.
Additionally, Tottenham have also cashed in on Luka Vuskovic, who left the club without making a single competitive appearance, and reports indicate that Spurs are also ready to move on Lucas Bergvall.
Alasdair Gold is concerned that Ashley Phillips will never play for Tottenham
Alasdair Gold is worried that forgotten Spurs man, Ashley Phillips, may suffer the same fate as Vuskovic, despite his improvements over the last couple of years.
The 21-year-old has become a mainstay in the Stoke City backline, having spent the last two seasons on loan at the Bet365 Stadium, and Gold is hoping that the youngster can catch Roberto De Zerbi’s eye in pre-season.
The journalist said on his YouTube channel: “Ashley Phillips has probably been the best forgotten centre-back that Tottenham have. He’s had such a terrific couple of years at Stoke.
“He was nominated for Young Championship Player of the Year last year, but will probably, like Vuskovic, never play for Tottenham. I would absolutely love it if he had a terrific pre-season and De Zerbi said ‘what have you done with this guy?’.”
There is no room for Phillips in the Spurs squad
Even if Cristian Romero departs Tottenham as expected this summer, De Zerbi still has four experienced centre-back options in Micky van de Ven, Jan Paul van Hecke, Kevin Danso and Marcos Senesi.
Additionally, Ben Davies has signed a one-year contract extension with Spurs, and the Welshman is capable of covering in central defence in the event of an injury crisis.
It is thus difficult to see how Phillips could force himself into De Zerbi’s plans even if he has an exceptional pre-season.