With a gluttony of talent on the books of Tottenham, many players find themselves having to go out on loan to get the game time they want. For much of the last five years, the club has boasted a model that picks up young talent and hopes they can thrive whilst growing into Premier League level talents. One league where Spurs have had a major focus in recent years is in Ligue 1 in France.
Last summer, midfield talent Pape Matar Sarr was loaned out to French club Metz. His time with the club has been quite important for his development. Even as the club has fought relegation, the midfielder has been very important to their chances of success. At only 19, too, he has no doubt picked up some very important lessons about top level football.
With Metz having been more or less stranded at the foot of the table for a while now, the club has now moved up to 18th spot – the relegation playoff spot. This is, in part, thanks to the work of Sarr in the middle of the pitch. A pair of back-to-back wins has seen the team enjoy some meaningful progress in their fight to stay up.
During a 1-0 win at home against Angers, Sarr was among the best players on the pitch. He ran the game from the middle of the pitch, completing over 85% of his passes and playing a key role. He also had a nice shot, took on players with dribbles, and spent much of his time intercepting opposition attacks, making four interceptions.
However, the French club also have to go to champions Paris Saint-Germain on the last day of the season and get a positive result. For Sarr, his last game in a Metz shirt could be his most important.
Spurs loanee wins Scottish title
A Spurs loanee who enjoyed a more positive and successful weekend, and season, though, was Cameron Carter-Vickers. Although the American international likely has no future at Spurs, his form domestically and in Europe for Celtic will have some fans wondering what if.
While the standard of Scottish football is not quite there with the English game, ‘CCV’ has been playing in a very good Celtic side. Only a lack of fluency for new coach Ange Postecoglou, who rebuilt the Celtic side last summer and went on to win the Scottish title by four points, stopped them progressing further in Europe.
The Southend-born defender, though, has a choice to make. Winning two trophies in Scotland, a deal is on the table to see him return permanently and play in the UEFA Champions League. However, reports suggest that Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City are keen on making a deal for the defender stick.
Some might argue that for the defender he has done all he could in Scotland outside of make a major mark in Europe. Could a return to English football appeal more than a second season up north?
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