It has been a tough season for Tottenham Hotspur academy graduate, Kyle Walker-Peters. The right-back started the first three games of the season under Pochettino, only to pick up an injury and find himself largely frozen out.
The defender only made one start under Mourinho which came in a dead-rubber Champions League group match against Bayern Munich.
As such, it wasn’t much of a surprise to see him being loaned out to Southampton in the January transfer window.
Unfortunately, the 23-year-old only made one appearance for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side (transfermarkt) before the Premier League season was suspended due to the spread of COVID-19.
Sky Sports have reported that the Saints are keen on signing the defender permanently in the summer and that Spurs are open to letting him leave.
However, Walker-Peters has now opened up on the conversation he had with Mourinho before he left for the South Coast and revealed that the Spurs boss opened the door for him to return to North London.
Speaking to the Times, the defender said: “He said listen, Kyle, Tottenham is your home so you’re welcome to come back whenever you want. He said he just wants me to play, play, play. ‘Bang out as many games as you can.’
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“If I do that, hopefully, he’ll see me as a more experienced player and that’s all I want — a run of five, ten games where I can show what I can do.
“I feel, in my career, I’ve shown it in glimpses, but it’s always been one or two games, then I don’t play again.”
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Mourinho’s words do indicate that the door is still open for Walker-Peters at Tottenham. However, I expect him to be sold in the summer, given the reports of the club’s attempt to sign a right-back. At 23 years of age, Walker-Peters needs to be playing regularly and a permanent move to Southampton will be perfect for him as Hasenhuttl’s style of play will suit the Spurs academy graduate.
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