Tottenham: Lilywhite Rose frustrated by Ryan Sessegnon as ‘next Gareth Bale’ verdict shared
John Wenham of Lilywhite Rose believes Ryan Sessegnon was destined to be “the next Gareth Bale” and has been left incredibly frustrated by the way the 23-year-old’s career has gone at Tottenham.
Spurs signed Sessegnon from Fulham for a fee of £25million when the Englishman was still just 19 years old (BBC Sport, 8 August 2019).
However, injuries have disrupted Sessegnon’s progress at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the past four and a half years.
He has managed just 57 appearances, scoring four goals and providing three assists in that time.
Having returned from a long-term injury in January, Sessegnon suffered yet another setback as he was forced to undergo his second surgery in 12 months after picking up a muscle injury while in action for Spurs’ Under-21s.
Reflecting on Sessegnon’s struggles, Wenham has detailed his frustration as a result of the high hopes he had for the former Fulham man.
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Wenham, the founder of reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, said: “It’s very frustrating because when we signed Sessegnon if you’d asked me at that time who was the number one player I wanted to sign, it would have been him.
“He was a wingback that scored 16 goals in the championship, which included a brace away against Newcastle.
“If you were looking for who the next Gareth Bale was going to be, it was him.
“He had power, trickery, he could score goals and he was fearless. He would battle for everything and any crosses coming into the box, he would be there.”
Does Ryan Sessegnon have a future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium under Ange Postecoglou?
Sessegnon faces an incredibly difficult and long road to recovery.
Having finally returned to action, seeing his opportunity to feature for the remainder of the season snatched away from him was an incredibly cruel blow for the player.
After he burst onto the scene so young, it feels as if Sessegnon has been around forever, but it is important to consider that he is still only 23 years old.
With that in mind, the full-back has plenty of time to rescue his career and will hope this most recent surgery puts him on the path to do just that.
However, his Tottenham contract is set to enter its final year, which leaves both Sessegnon and Spurs in an awkward position.
A decision must be reached this summer, and Sessegnon will hope he is handed one final opportunity to prove himself to Ange Postecoglou.
In other Tottenham news, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King is in support of a “beneficial” Daniel Levy plan in North London.
For more Tottenham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.