'I remember this clearly': Jose Mourinho once promised £2m defender he'd play for Tottenham but he never did

Today at 07:15 AM

Tottenham have dropped the ball with a number of talented young players in recent years.

Noni Madueke is receiving plaudits for his performances at Chelsea years after leaving Tottenham, while Marcus Edwards is being linked with Manchester United after coming through Tottenham's academy.

However, it's not always for a lack of trying at Tottenham.

Speaking on The Joy of Football, Spurs legend, David Pleat, has been discussing how Spurs have handled their young talents in recent years, and the pathway for development at Tottenham.

Pleat says that Spurs can struggle to keep their young players even when promises are made, recalling how Jose Mourinho promised a young Luis Binks that he'd get a chance at Tottenham, but, ultimately, he left the club to head to Montreal Impact.

• READ MORE: What F1 billionaire linked with Tottenham takeover has just disclosed as Amanda Staveley on high alert

Jose Mourinho promised Luis Binks a chance at Tottenham

Pleat shared how Mourinho promised Binks that he'd have a pathway at Spurs.

The manager told Binks he'd get a chance at Tottenham, but the player himself believed his best bet would be to move on.

"Binks went from Tottenham, and I remember this clearly. Went to Montreal, to be managed by Thierry Henry," Pleat said.

“Now, Binks, I can tell you this. He was England’s centre-half, England left centre-half. Mourinho himself made big point of saying there’s a pathway for him.

“Now, the boy said there wasn’t a pathway. Whether there was or wasn’t, he would have developed, maybe, into a first-team player. But he was enticed away to Montreal, who loaned him to Bologna, and then he’s come back to Coventry and he’s at Coventry now. That’s happening all the time because of financial sustainability.”

Where is Luis Binks now?

Binks was seen as a bright young talent during his time at Tottenham, and Mourinho clearly thought there was a future for him at the club.

However, he hasn't quite hit the level expected of him since his departure from Spurs.

Indeed, Binks has never played Premier League football, and he's currently in the Championship with Coventry City after a £2m move to the Midlands.

Interestingly, Binks recently played against Tottenham in a cup game, and he played rather well.

Indeed, Coventry almost got the better of Spurs on the day before two late goals denied the Sky Blues.

Coventry put on a backs against the wall performance against Spurs, and Binks played a key part in that, making a number of solid defensive contributions.

The stats show that Binks was solid against Spurs, but they also show why he didn't quite make it at the top level.

Binks made six clearances and just 25 passes in that game, and in modern football, if you want to play for a top club, you have to be more progressive than just clearing danger up the field.

Spurs fans weren't happy when Binks left the club a few years ago, but that decision doesn't look likely to come back and haunt them too much.