Scotland international striker was on the bench against Arsenal
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Just days into his job as Tottenham Hotspur head coach, Igor Tudor made a telling decision last week. He promoted the on-loan Hearts teenager James Wilson to Spurs’ first-team squad after noting his touch and movement with the club’s Under-21 side. Wilson was named as a substitute against North London rivals Arsenal on Sunday, gaining a unique perspective of one of Britain’s biggest derby matches in the world’s most high-profile league.
The striker moved to England on transfer deadline day earlier this month because he wanted more regular football. Unable to break into the Hearts team this season, he was left frustrated sitting in the stand at times. Joining Tottenham Under-21s gave him a chance to play, but after just two appearances in Premier League 2 he finds himself in amongst the main event. That a man of Tudor’s standing and experience in football chose Wilson to step up is a significant endorsement of the 18-year-old.
Tudor has managed Juventus, Lazio, Marseille and Galatasaray among others after winning 55 caps as an imposing Croatian centre-back. As the saying goes, he knows his stuff. His reputation for an attacking, aggressive, high-tempo style precedes him. He also likes players of sound technical ability, pace and intelligence. Wilson was called up to train with Tottenham’s first-team squad late last week and scored for the Under-21s against Norwich on Friday.
The promotion came out of necessity, which shouldn’t be overlooked. Tudor was appointed on 13 February on a contract until the summer after Spurs sacked Thomas Frank. He arrived in N17 tasked with steering the club properly clear of relegation but inherited a multitude of problems. Most immediately, he had nine players missing for the Arsenal match. Captain Cristian Romero was suspended, with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert all out injured. Tudor, therefore, needed to get creative.
Wilson was brought in to reinforce the group ahead of a massive fixture. Tudor is keen to give players fresh opportunities and the young Scot is an early beneficiary. He is also mature enough not to be overwhelmed or daunted in among household names like Xavi Simons, Dominic Solanke and Micky van de Ven. Being Scotland’s youngest ever senior internationalist will certainly have helped. He scored eight times in 45 senior appearances for Hearts and became the youngest scorer in UEFA Conference League history at just 17.
Wilson impressed in training and took his place on Tottenham’s bench on Sunday. He wore his own squad number, 79, underlining the fact that he was signed as a development player. Less than three weeks after leaving Hearts, he is making rapid progress. That is partly down to a lack of numbers right now, but it is also testament to the player’s own dedication and talent. He said upon joining Spurs: “I’m just coming here to work really hard, do everything I can to be as good as I can, and hopefully make the most of it.”
He seems to be doing just that while learning to cook and clean for himself. Wilson has just left home for the first time in his life and is surviving on his own in Britain’s Capital city. The change and new experiences are welcome despite Tottenham’s current troubles. They lost 4-1 at home to Arsenal - the striker remained an unused sub - and now visit Fulham for another London derby this Sunday. Wilson is scheduled to continue training with the first team this week and could again be in the squad at Craven Cottage. As more senior players return, Tudor will have the option of keeping Wilson or returning him to the Under-21s.
Beyond that, Spurs have a decision to make on the teenager’s future in a few weeks. His loan agreement includes an option for a permanent summer transfer which the Premier League club can invoke. The pre-agreed fee is understood to be £2.5m before add-ons, and Hearts would also be entitled to a sell-on fee should Tottenham transfer Wilson to another club in future. His contract at Tynecastle Park runs until 2027.
Wilson stands to benefit regardless. Either he returns north with first-hand experience of English Premier League players and training methods, or he signs for one of the country’s biggest clubs. The name ‘Tudor’ is synonymous with English history and, between now and the summer, may also have a huge bearing on this young Scotsman’s future.