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When Mauricio Pochettino mentioned a couple of academy strikers that he might consider promoting to the first team in lieu of a striker signing this January, there was a name he left off the list. And that's because he was, apparently, just sold. Academy graduate Shaquile Coulthirst has moved to League One club Peterborough United on a three and a half year contract. The deal is also confirmed both on Peterborough's website and Tottenham's. Financial details were not disclosed.
ThePoshTV | @ShaqCoulthirst On Signing For The Posh! #pufc https://t.co/5L66Xz6BlS pic.twitter.com/E4feSBvlQK
— Peterborough United (@theposhofficial) January 22, 2016
Shaq will fill a void for The Posh (for that is their nickname) after they recently sold their leading scorer to QPR. According to the BBC, their manager, Graham Westley, is apparently thrilled by the signing.
"He is a sought-after player, we are not the only club at the top of our league that have been after him."
"I am delighted that he has decided that we are the place he wants to join."
"I think he wants to try to become the next Conor Washington, the next Craig Mackail-Smith, the next Britt Assombalonga and he has all the talent and attributes to fulfil that."
Shaq was a highly rated academy player for Spurs, but he was never able to make his breakthrough at Tottenham. We ranked him #8 on our prospect rankings list in 2013, but he dropped all the way to #19 in the Honorable Mentions in this past summer's rankings. Now at age 21 after a series of loans to the lower divisions of the Football Association, it's become clear that he's probably not going to make the first team cut at Tottenham.
Shaq's not a bad player by any stretch, but not all youth prospects pan out. It's important for his development that he finds a club that's at his level and he seems to have found that in League One. With Peterborough sixth in the table, they still have a chance to make a push for the promotion playoffs, and Shaq could play a role in helping them get there.