Tottenham teen Dane Scarlett could be poised for first-team breakthrough after loan recall
Striker Dane Scarlett could finally be poised for his first real run in the Tottenham first-team.
It has been over two years since former Spurs boss, Jose Mourinho, wrote that Scarlett would one day become a “phenomenal” striker (The Times, 14 July 2021), and everyone at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is now just waiting patiently for that to happen.
Having signed a new four-year contract with Tottenham in the summer, which the club announced via their official X platform (31 August), the 19-year-old then joined up with Ipswich Town on loan for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.
While there would have been high hopes that the striker would flourish during his time in the Championship, things haven’t quite worked out that way.
Ipswich Town have been the surprise package in England’s second tier, with Kieran McKenna’s side currently occupying second place after being promoted from EFL League One last season, and Scarlett was perhaps a victim of the club’s surprise success, as he struggled to get a kick for the Tractor Boys.
The forward made just 12 league appearances for the club, with all of his minutes coming from the bench as he failed to start a single match. As a result, Tottenham have announced via their official X platform (27 December) that they have recalled the England Under-21 international.
The club could look to send him elsewhere for the rest of the season to ensure that he is getting more minutes. However, Ange Postecoglou has already proven this season that he is willing to take a chance on Scarlett.
He was handed an opportunity by the Australian on Tuesday 29 August when he was surprisingly brought on as a half-time substitute during the club’s Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Fulham. Although he was on the losing side, Scarlett certainly demonstrated some potential, as he worked hard, got stuck in and completed 100 per cent of his passes (Sofascore).
Scarlett is no stranger to first-team football in north London, with 11 senior appearances already under his belt, and instead of being sent away once again, Postecoglou could look to offer the youngster some minutes over the coming months.
With Son Heung-min heading to the Asia Cup in January, Richarlison will be the only senior striking option at Hotspur Way, which could leave the door slightly open for Scarlett to kick down.
Spurs have an FA Cup home tie with Premier League strugglers Burnley on 5 January, which could be the perfect opportunity for Scarlett to get some minutes on the pitch and make a name for himself.
And who knows, if the youngster can make an impression in that game, he might look back on this failed loan spell with Ipswich Town as the greatest thing that happened to him.
In other Tottenham news, one 100% Spurs ace deserves more with an unfair snub seemingly on the cards after a recent injury update.