Tottenham Hotspur striker Troy Parrott’s decision to leave north London and move to Millwall on loan is the “perfect move” for the teenager, according to Noel Whelan.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Leeds United forward feels Millwall manager Gary Rowett can get the best out of the Spurs striker in the Championship.
Recent reports revealed that the Lions are close to completing a deal for the Republic of Ireland international and the Lilywhites have now confirmed that he has left for The Den to prepare for the 2020/21 season.
Parrott, who earned his first cap for his country last year, has found his chances limited under Spurs boss Jose Mourinho.
The 18-year-old has followed in the footsteps of Harry Kane who enjoyed a successful spell in Bermondsey at the beginning of his career.
Whelan believes he has made the right decision as a loan move will aid his development.
“This could be the perfect move for him,” he told football writer Dylan Childs.
“He definitely needed to go out on loan, that is for sure. You can only do so much in the 23s, then it is about testing yourself at a higher level. He is definitely going to get that in the Championship.
“Gary Rowett will be a good manager to work under. He is young, gets the best out of players and has changed the way that Millwall play.
“Parrott needs game time. He needs to test himself, he needs experience and he needs to mature. If he does well there might be a call back.
“He is banging them in for fun with the Under-23s so he needed that next challenge. The Championship will be very difficult and test his ability.”
It is hard to argue with Whelan here, as Parrott has the potential to become the next Spurs star to break through the ranks into the first-team.
The £3.24m-valued Dublin-born striker has scored goals for fun in the youth setup this year, scoring six times in four UEFA Youth League games (Transfermarkt).
Who is Spurs' best striker?
Harry Kane
Troy Parrott
However, the Irishman has only made four appearances for Mourinho’s side this season.
For whatever reason, the Portuguese doesn’t seem to trust him yet, as he barely featured at all despite the fact he was the club’s only recognised striker after Kane suffered an injury setback.
His development has stalled at Spurs as he finds himself further down the pecking order now that the players have made a full recovery. At this stage of his career, he needs to be playing regularly, which is something that is not on the cards at his parent club as it stands.
A move to Millwall worked wonders for Kane’s career and there is no reason to see why the loan spell won’t have a similar effect on Parrott if he applies himself in the right areas.
Tottenham fans, do you think Parrott should follow in Kane’s footsteps and go to Millwall on loan? Join the discussion in the comments below!
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