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"New Iniesta" might finally be joining Spurs

A rumor that has been floating around since last winter seems to be finally coming to fruition as Spurs have finally signed Nigeria wonderkid Musa Yahaya.

This is the old Iniesta. Tottenham definitely are not signing him.
This is the old Iniesta. Tottenham definitely are not signing him.
David Ramos

Musa Yahaya is a star in Nigeria. He's been dubbed the "new Iniesta" by many in the media there. For months now he has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur and now, at least according to the player's agent, the signing has finally happened. Yahaya has been with the Niger U-20 team this summer, after spending last summer starring for Nigeria's Under-17 World Cup winning squad.

"Musa has been released by the Flying Eagles to join Spurs for pre-season training on Monday," the player’s agent Babawo Mohammed told AfricanFootball.com

"He’s an exciting prospect and naturally very excited with this opportunity, which will most certainly enhance his rising profile.

The agreement with Tottenham is only a pre-contract, because Yahaya won't be 17 until December. It's believed that he will train with Spurs (most likely the U-23 team or the academy) and then be loaned to La Liga club Celta Vigo in September.

I'll be honest, I know next to nothing about Yahaya or if he is actually any good. He's a right-footed left winger who, given the Iniesta moniker, is probably a pretty good passer. The fact that Spurs are considering loaning him to a La Liga club speaks volumes about where his actual skill level might be, but I find it hard to believe he'll be getting first team minutes in Spain. It's more likely that he plays for Celta Vigo's B side, which plays in the Tercera or the fourth level of Spanish football.

In all honesty, this kid is probably just the next Souleymane Coulibaly. A kid that had a good youth tournament, got on a few radars and is now going to cash in on that. I'm not saying that Coulibaly is definitively done as a prospect or anything. While he certainly hasn't delivered on his "next Drogba" tag, the 19 year-old has played in Serie B and scored a few goals. It'll probably be years before Yahaya is anywhere near Tottenham's first team, but there's nothing wrong with taking a flyer on a hot prospect, right?