This article is part of Football FanCast’s In The Pipeline series, which takes a look at some of the most promising young talent either linked with clubs or emerging from their academies…
The Daily Mail reported on Friday that Tottenham Hotspur starlet Jamie Bowden had signed a new contract until 2023, and he could be Jose Mourinho’s next Eric Dier.
The England international found first-team opportunities hard to come by under Mauricio Pochettino this term, playing just 192 minutes of Premier League football under the Argentine.
However, he has quickly been brought back into the fold by Mourinho, who handed him just his third top-flight start of the campaign in the 3-2 win against West Ham United last weekend.
The 25-year-old was once again in the starting XI as Spurs beat Olympiacos in midweek, although he was replaced in the 29th minute in what was a tactical change by his head coach.
While Mourinho apologised publicly and said it was nothing against Dier and just that he wasn’t needed on the pitch at that point with his team trailing 2-0, it remains to be seen whether he is seen as the long-term defensive midfield option by the Portuguese.
Step forward Bowden, who is described on his profile on the official club website as a ‘deep-lying central midfielder with a great range of passing.’
The Daily Mail also says that the teenager has been likened to Michael Carrick – high praise indeed given he was such an important player for both Spurs and Manchester United later in his career.
That alone suggests the 18-year-old has a hugely bright future ahead of him, with Football Insider reporting he has regularly trained with the first team.
Meanwhile, Football London has reported that Bowden, who can also play at centre-back similarly to Dier, is ‘extremely composed on the ball’ and breaks up the play effectively.
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While he may be deep-lying, his record of seven assists in 24 appearances in total in 2018/19 also suggests he has that creative eye too, which could be something that appeals to Mourinho.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager admitted he was excited by the academy when he was appointed as Pochettino’s successor, and Bowden could be one of the names he looks to on a regular basis in the not-too distant future.
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