Tottenham Hotspur has been the home to many talented homegrown players in recent times, helping the club push for a regular top-four finish in the Premier League.
Harry Kane is undoubtedly the biggest name to be a success over the last 15 years, breaking into the first team back in the 2013/14 campaign.
The striker ended up making 428 appearances for Spurs over a 10-year period, scoring 279 goals – becoming the club’s record goalscorer in the process.
The 31-year-old left North London in a £100m deal including add-ons to join Bayern Munich last summer, leaving a huge gap in the final third for Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Kane has continued to thrill at international level, making his 100th appearance during the recent break, starring alongside a player who has taken the division by storm over the last 12 months.
Cole Palmer’s time at Chelsea
Winger Cole Palmer completed a shock move to Chelsea from Manchester City in a £40m deal last summer, after the youngster was only utilised as an impact player under Pep Guardiola.
However, Kane’s teammate at international level has taken his career to the next level at Stamford Bridge, registering a staggering tally of goal contributions since his big-money transfer.
The 22-year-old registered 25 goals and 15 assists in his 45 appearances in all competitions last season, finishing the league campaign with the most goal contributions of any player in the division.
Palmer has continued his excellent form into the new season, contributing with one goal and four assists so far under new boss Enzo Maresca – with four of his contributions coming in the huge 6-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
His sensational form has seen him become a regular in the England setup, further showcasing his rapid rise to stardom in the last 12 months.
However, Spurs could have had their answer to the youngster, but they offloaded him a couple of years ago with the former academy ace going on to have a successful career away from the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
The Spurs talent who could have been their answer to Palmer
Marcus Edwards is a product of the Spurs academy, spending 13 years at the club as a youngster, before leaving on a free transfer in 2019 to join Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes.
However, fast forward to 2024, the Englishman is now starring for Sporting Lisbon, with the club potentially regretting their decision to offload the forward.
He’s scored 22 goals in his 114 appearances for Lisbon, ranking similar to Chelsea ace Palmer via FBref based on their respective displays during the last 12 months.
|
Edwards vs Palmer in 2023/24 |
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|---|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Edwards |
Palmer |
|
Games |
26 |
34 |
|
Goals + assists |
8 |
33 |
|
Progressive carries per 90 |
5.2 |
4 |
|
Shot-on-target accuracy |
41% |
37% |
|
Shot-creating actions per 90 |
6 |
5.8 |
|
Take-ons completed per 90 |
2.2 |
1.8 |
|
Crosses per 90 |
4.1 |
2.8 |
|
Stats via FBref |
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When delving into their respective stats from last season, Edwards may have scored fewer goals but did manage a higher shot-on-target accuracy, proving he’s more accurate with his efforts in front of goal.
The Sporting talent also managed 5.2 progressive carries per 90 – a tally that Palmer couldn’t match – showcasing his talent at driving with the ball into the final third.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent’s goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
As a result of his impressive displays in Portugal, Edwards has seen his market value soar to £17.5m as per Transfermarkt, a huge increase after his release on a free transfer from Spurs back in 2019.
It’s evident that the 25-year-old has a lot of talent that would be of use to Postecoglou in 2024, with the club undoubtedly offloading the star way too soon.
His talent has been reflected in his stats, with the winger outperforming Palmer in numerous areas, highlighting the regret the club must have in allowing him to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
