Tottenham Hotspur’s academy has come to the fore in recent weeks, as one of their graduates recently became the greatest goalscorer in the club’s history.
Harry Kane’s 267th goal, overtaking Jimmy Greaves’ previous record, consigned defending Premier League champions Manchester City to defeat, something which has become a habit for Spurs on their home patch.
However, one of the underlying facets of that result was that it marked yet another game without a goal for Heung-min Son.
The South Korean’s poor form continued as he was limited to just one shot and 21 touches before being dragged off with six minutes to go.
He has been shown blind faith throughout the season in the hopes that he might recapture his form of 2021/22, when he scored 23 goals and set up another nine in the Premier League.
Antonio Conte could now consider looking to Tottenham’s academy once more in an attempt to revitalise the struggling 30-year-old, who drew another blank in Saturday’s 4-1 drubbing by Leicester.
Who can replace Son at Spurs?
The natural choice would be Spaniard Yago Santiago, who has been starring for the U23s for some time now since his move during the 2019/20 season.
He is surely due his senior debut soon, as he is yet to make a senior appearance despite training with the first team.
Upon earning that call-up, Spurs insider John Wenham expressed his delight to see the youngster making strides, saying: “He was picked up three seasons ago from Celta Vigo and he’s cooked up some nice numbers in the Under 18s and 23s.
“He is a very consistent starter and I hope he is given the opportunity to show what he’s got. They are brilliant young players and I’m delighted for them.”
This season has seen the 19-year-old thrive in a number of positions across the front three for Spurs at underage level, with his versatility likely to impress Conte. He has backed that up with four goals and one assist in 15 Premier League 2 games, matching Son’s goal tally in 21 appearances in current top-flight campaign.
What will further endear Santiago to Lilywhites fans was the role he played in the U21s’ recent 2-1 north London derby win over their Arsenal counterparts. His assist for Nile John’s winning goal helped to complete a turnaround from 1-0 down, outlining a happy knack to come good when it very much matters.
With Son’s form declining and his age increasing, now could be the perfect time for Conte to start embedding Santiago into the first-team squad with a view to ultimately replacing the South Korean cult hero.