Roberto De Zerbi set out his criteria for a Tottenham Hotspur player early in his tenure. Passion, determination and dedication to the club and his cause are non-negotiables.
Age however, is not a factor.
The Italian named a remarkably young starting line-up in front of a New Zealand record men’s football crowd of 40,112 at Eden Park. Archie Gray captained a team with an average age of just 20.
Although many of the starting line-up are his peers, Gray stood out on the team sheet and on the pitch. De Zerbi stuck with the young core for an hour before more experienced players came on in the second half.
Among the most impressive were Gray, 17-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett who De Zerbi described as a “big talent”, and 18-year-old Mikey Moore, who has been linked with another loan move away this summer.
As much as the focus should be on ensuring Tottenham return quickly to competing at the top of the Premier League, the club has spent several years prioritising youth in the market and it would be nonsensical to throw that away.
To supplement the major spending, keeping the pathway open for a bright crop of academy graduates — as well as Gray, Mathys Tel and other youngsters from outside the club — is essential in building a squad good enough to compete on three fronts.
