Tim Sherwood thinks Tottenham should have not loaned away high-performing 18-year-old

Tottenham could have the teenager around the first team, according to Sherwood.

Tim Sherwood believes Tottenham may have missed a trick this season by not keeping Mikey Moore around, and given the state of the squad, it is hard to dismiss the point entirely. Igor Tudor has inherited a group shredded by injuries and short on natural width, with Spurs hovering just five points above the relegation zone.

In that context, a fearless 18-year-old winger producing in a pressure environment does not sound like a luxury. It sounds like an option that could have helped. Mikey Moore’s numbers at Rangers are not just decorative. In 22 league appearances, he has delivered four goals and three assists, but it is the manner of his performances that has caught the eye.

He is direct and confident in 1v1 situations and not afraid to drive at defenders repeatedly. Rangers fans, especially on X, have praised his willingness to take responsibility in tight games, and that trait alone would have been valuable in a Spurs side that has often looked hesitant and short of spark.

Here is what Sherwood had to say via Sky Sports Scotland:

“Tell me more about Moore, a lad I keep a close eye on because he’s on loan from Tottenham.”

“I believe he should be at Tottenham now, as an opportunity to give him some game time. People would argue with the fact that we are in a relegation battle, but I don’t think he would let you down more than any of the signings they have made.”

Moore of that

Technically, Moore is sharp in small spaces. He can cut inside onto his stronger foot, combine quickly around the box, and commit full-backs with quick changes of direction. He presses aggressively as well, something that can always yield something in the English top-tier. In a season where Tottenham have lacked natural wingers at times due to injury and inconsistent form, those qualities could have provided much-needed unpredictability.

Sherwood made it clear he felt Moore could have handled the step up. He argued that even in a relegation scrap, the teenager would not have let the club down any more than some of the senior signings have. That is some praise for the England U19 captain.

Of course, development matters. Playing regularly in front of big crowds at Ibrox, learning to cope with expectation and physical football, will likely harden Moore in ways cameo appearances off the Spurs bench might not. There is logic in the long-term plan.