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Tottenham Hotspur youth prospect Alex Pritchard has signed a new contract with the club lasting until 2016 and has also been loaned out to Brentford FC.
The 21 year old attacking midfielder has been at Spurs for a while now and lit up League One last year while on loan at Swindon Town, where he made 44 appearances, scoring 8 times. He made his first appearance in a Spurs shirt last year during the final game of the season against Aston Villa. Interestingly, there is a break clause in the deal that will allow him to be recalled in January if we want him back. I suppose it's comforting to know we're learning from last year's mistakes before the new season has even started.
In the wake of the new contract and loan deal, Spurs youth expert Chris Miller shared a few thoughts on Pritchard's move and his future with the club.
With a year left on his deal, it was vital that Pritchard signed a deal before going out on loan. Mark Warburton will know him well. #THFC
— Chris Miller (@WindyCOYS) July 17, 2014
Think this is a great move - means we won't lose him on the cheap, and gives him an opportunity to shine at Championship level. #Spurs #THFC
— Chris Miller (@WindyCOYS) July 17, 2014
Personally I think Championship will be about his level long-term, but it's worth seeing what happens. #THFC #Spurs
— Chris Miller (@WindyCOYS) July 17, 2014
While Pritchard is an exciting prospect, it is worth remembering that at age 21 he was playing in League One. As a comparison, at age 22 Christian Eriksen was becoming our player of the year after being the best player Ajax produced in ages. It's more likely we get a return on our investment in Pritchard in a sale than on the pitch itself. Still, he was excellent last year, and while the championship is a major step up, it will be interesting to see what he does with the opportunity.