Among the many issues plaguing Tottenham Hotspur right now, Tim Sherwood reckons there is one very deep-rooed problem at play.
We are heading for the end of the January transfer window right now and many are hoping Tottenham will manage to add another one or two quality players to their ranks.
While it’s thought the priority is to sign a new winger and another midfielder, there is no denying that Spurs are also struggling for goals.
With Richarlison and Dominic Solanke constantly failing to stay fit and show any real consistency, it begs the question: did Tottenham already let the ideal striker slip through their grasp?
Troy Parrott should have been given a chance at Tottenham
Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood believes that could be the case, with Troy Parrott cited as a key example of the kind of academy talent the club may regret selling in recent years.
Speaking to OLGB, Sherwood said: “I’m not saying Troy Parrott will be the answer, but what I am saying is they’ve spent a lot of money on other strikers who have come to that club who are no better than Troy Parrott. So why wasn’t he given the same opportunity?”
Parrott signed for AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2024 for less than £7m and has been a big success in the Dutch league. This season alone, Parrott has 20 goals in all competitions already.
Ironically, Spurs may want to re-sign Parrott for around £30m. This comes after he made just four appearances for the Tottenham first-team amounting to only 96 minutes. He clearly wasn’t given a chance with the Lilywhites, and that looks like a mistake now.
Spurs academy is not working right now
Sherwood believes Parrott’s situation is symptomatic of the bigger problem at Spurs, in that the academy simply isn’t producing sufficient talent and the club is not clearing a path for youngsters to develop into the senior squad.
When asked if the production line at Spurs is broken, Sherwood replied: “100%. I can’t remember the last player who came through the academy into Tottenham’s first team on a regular basis. Not blaming anyone in the academy. What I’m looking at is the football club.”
Obviously, we know there are players like Mikey Moore, Jamie Donley, and Alfie Devine out on loan who could still have bright futures at the club. At the moment, the only academy graduate really pushing for first-team football is Dane Scarlett, but he feels miles off the level required to succeed.