Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers today, and they are now out of action until March 2, when they’ll host Crystal Palace. Let’s take a look at all the Spurs news emanating from this result, in three parts. Here we’ll focus on Ryan Sessegnon, with part three covering manager Ange Postecoglu.
Part one, covering Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie and Fraser Forster go here.
The career of Ryan Sessegnon, 23, thus far, seems to have peaked with the conclusion of the 2017-2018 season. The left winger/left back was named the Championship Player of the Season and included in the PFA Team of the Year, as he helped lead Fulham to Premier League promotion.
The Roehampton, London native was then on the radar of all the big clubs in England.
Then, in August of 2019, Sessegnon made the switch to Tottenham for a reported fee of about £25 million.
However, his time in North London has been marred by repeated injuries, and limited playing time. He’s sort of been for Spurs what Thiago Alcantara is to Liverpool- loads of potential but seemingly always injured.
Sessegnon is on the mend again now though, as he’s returned to training for Tottenham.
? BREAKING: Ryan Sessegnon STARTS for #thfc u21s as they face West Ham today. ?
Jamie Donley and Dane Scarlett also start, alongside 18-year old midfielder Tyrese Hall. https://t.co/x1sabDtDPL
— Spurs Army (@SpursArmyTweets) February 17, 2024
And to get more experience, he even started for the U21s today.
“He’s back training, that’s the first thing,” Postecoglu said.
“Now he’s got to put together a body of work together in training and then we’ll assess it from there. This is his first week with us. Like I said, with Sess it’s about getting a body of work together – to give him confidence and us confidence that his body will be good.
“So far this week he’s trained well, done everything that’s been asked of him, and I hope that continues.”
Sessegnon, who spent the 2020-21 season on loan to 1899 Hoffenheim, brings pace, dribbling ability, and an eye for goal from the left side of the pitch to the proverbial table.
“He’s no different from anyone else, I want them all to be out there, want them all to be available,” Postecoglu continued.
“He’s no different. Obviously he’s gone through a tough time. But there’s no point me putting any extra pressure on him.
“He knows his biggest hurdle is being out there for a prolonged time. He has had a false start when we put him out there a few weeks back because we had a few injuries. Like I said with Sess, it’s about him getting a body of work together. And then he’ll feel better and confident about taking an opportunity.”
Internationally, Sess has earned 50 caps and scored eight goals in the England youth systems. He’s featured for the under-16, 17, 19 and 21 Three Lions sides.
Despite all the injury setbacks, he’s still regarded to be one of the most promising young talents in English football, with a very high potential upside. Spurs are off until March 2, when they will host Crystal Palace in a London derby.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.