Tottenham Hotspur have decided on the short-term future of one of their youngest arrivals – Mason Melia – as the final hours of the winter window tick away.
Spurs have long secured the signing of 18-year-old Mason Melia from St Patrick’s Athletic for £1.6m plus add-ons back in February.
However, the young Irishman only joined Tottenham Hotspur this January, having finally turned 18 because of post-Brexit rules.
Unfortunately, though, Melia has not been able to feature for Spurs due to a back injury he picked up before arriving in N17.
Tottenham Hotspur decision made on Mason Melia loan future
Thomas Frank stated back in December that Spurs were going to assess the situation of Melia before deciding on the next steps for the young striker.
Melia impressed while with St Patrick’s Athletic, scoring 13 goals and grabbing four assists from 35 league matches in Ireland, but there is clearly still a steep learning curve for the forward before he can become a Spurs regular.
Journalist Alasdair Gold has now revealed that Tottenham are not currently expected to loan out Mason Melia today, with the hope instead that the young Irish striker will start getting involved around first-team training as he closes in on recovering from a back problem he arrived with last month.
Why Spurs are holding onto Melia for now
Spurs remain short in key areas, as they currently have 12 first-team players out due to injuries.
Perhaps that is currently playing into the thinking of the Lilywhites, who are stretched and cannot afford to lose any more players. Dane Scarlett was recently loaned out to Scottish Premiership side Hibernian.
Games will continue to come thick and fast, and having depth to pick from will be vital for Tottenham, as they look to pick up form.
Nevertheless, even with Melia not heading out on loan, many Spurs fans will still be eager to see more experienced signings made before the winter window slams shut later today.