Promising Tottenham winger stalling on contract extension

Spurs youngster Nathan Oduwa is playing hard to get at White Hart Lane. Tottenham seem keen to retain the services of the speedy twenty year old, but the winger may have other plans.

While Oduwa has represented the English National team at the U17, U18, and U20 levels, the Bloomsbury native has had successful trials with Nigeria, the country of his parents origin, over the past year. In this regard, Oduwa looks set to join Nigeria at the Olympic Games this summer. Due to the high visibility of the event, Oduwa is stalling on signing a new contract with Spurs in hopes of performing well in Brazil.

Whether it is to improve the terms of the contract with Tottenham or posture for a move away from North London, Oduwa's refusal to sign doesn't bode well for his future with the club, especially since his contract reportedly expires at the end of June. But is that something that supporters of the club should really worry about?

On-loan at Rangers this past fall, Oduwa put in some absolutely silly performances for the Glaswegian side very early in the season. Videos circulating of him absolutely gutting Scottish defenders were both fun to watch and promising. Sure it was the second division, but my goodness did he carve up the opposition.

Yet that game and those clips seem to be the high water mark of Oduwa's Rangers career. Called back from his loan this past January, the youngster simply wasn't getting enough matches for the Scottish giants. In an interview with SB Nation's Rangers blog — Got the Battle Fever On — it was reported that while Oduwa could be devastating on the counter and tantalizing in the open field, he struggled with both his technique in tight spaces. In a Rangers side that tried to possess the ball, Oduwa gave it up to far to cheaply. His month long loan to Colchester United this past March didn't go swimmingly either. He only made two substitutes appearances in a side that would eventually get relegated to the Sky Bet League 2.

Look for this to drag out some. Spurs seem open to keeping the youngster, but won't offer absurd wages to keep him. Things could be significantly more clear after this summer's Olympic Games.