18-Year-Old Nigerian Defender Makes Professional Debut For Tottenham Hotspur

Published: January 04, 2019

England youth international of Nigerian descent, Timothy Eyoma has made his professional debut for Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

The versatile central defender was handed his debut by manager Mauricio Pochettino after replacing Dávinson Sánchez in the 79th minute as Spurs bashed Tranmere Rovers for seven in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup on Friday evening.

Eyoma was an unused substitute against Burnley in the Premier League and West Ham in the League Cup.

The Londoner helped the Young Lions clinch the 2017 Fifa U17 World Cup, starting their first two matches against Chile and Mexico while he was introduced to the pitch as a substitute vs Brazil in the semifinal.

Aged 18 years, 11 months and 6 days, Eyoma is the third youngest player of Nigerian descent to debut for Spurs since the start of the new millennium, behind Josh Onomah (17 years, 8 months and 18 days) and Jonathan Obika (18 years, 2 months and 15 days).

Fernando Llorente notched a hat-trick, Serge Aurier netted a brace while Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane supplied the rest of the goals for Tottenham Hotspur in the victory over the League Two opponents at Prenton Park.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : tottenhamhotspur.com