Gary Mabbutt has drawn parallels between academy youngster Mikey Moore and the club’s record goalscorer Harry Kane, insisting that the 16-year-old can go on to become a key first-team player in the future.
Over the last few years, Tottenham’s academy has not been too successful in producing players for the first-team, with Oliver Skipp being the last one to successfully make that transition a few years ago, following in the footsteps of Harry Kane and Harry Winks.
However, there is now a lot of excitement about the current group of Under-21 stars, with the likes of Alfie Devine, Ashley Phillips, Alfie Dorrington, Dane Scarlett and Jamie Donely seen as first-team prospects.
There is also one player in the age group below who is turning a lot of heads, with several journalists waxing lyrical about Moore over the past few months (Tom Barcley – The Tottenham Way Podcast).
Although a left-winger by trade, Moore has played as a number ten, an attacking midfielder and occasionally even as a striker this season, with the teenager having scored 12 goals and provided seven assists in 10 matches in the Under-18 Premier League (Transfermarkt).
Can Mikey Moore be the next Harry Kane?
Mabbutt believes that like Kane, the youngster could evolve into more of a centre-forward as he matures.
The former Tottenham captain said on talkSPORT (1/4/24): “We have a lot of players out on loan at the moment, as most clubs do have. We have youngsters coming through, we have a young lad called Mikey Moore, a striker who we hope is going to be in the Harry Kane sort of mould. We have a fantastic academy and a lot of work is taking place.”
Spurs Web Opinion
It is worth remembering that Kane played as a ten and occasionally even on the left when he was on the cusp of breaking into the Tottenham team. Jamie Donley is making a similar type of transition to a striker and perhaps Moore will also do the same in the next couple of years.