Derby County have signed young Tottenham Hotspur midfield Harvey White on loan for the rest of the season. What can the 21 year old bring to The Rams? We spoke with Lilywhite Rose and Seb from Spurs Web to find out!
Derby have signed Harvey White on loan. What do you make of it?
Lilywhite Rose: I am delighted Harvey has made the move out on loan to continue his development. Whilst you can learn a lot from training day in day out from the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg & Yves Bissouma nothing beats going out and playing senior football.
Seb from Spurs Web: I think this is going to be a great loan for all involved, to be honest. Harvey White has long-since outgrown the academy system at Tottenham, but isn't quite at the level to compete with the likes of Pape Matar Sarr and Oliver Skipp for a regular spot on the bench in the Premier League.
He made his Premier League debut on January 4th and he played in couple of friendlies with the first team over the World Cup break, why are the Spurs loaning him out?
Lilywhite Rose: Spurs are loaning him out as he has outgrown U21 football and is more than ready to play senior men’s football. Harvey was very close to going out on loan last January but the unexpected deadline day departures of Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Dele Alli meant that Antonio Conte requested that he stay at the club. He would then be named on the first team bench some 20 times.
Is he well thought of at Spurs? Does he have the potential to be a first-team player at Tottenham?
Lilywhite Rose: Harvey is very well regarded at the club liked by all the coaching staff and Antonio Conte. Testament to that is the contact extension he signed up until June 30, 2024 (which was signed on December 11, 2020.
Seb from Spurs Web: This is a player Spurs and Conte both rate very highly. It's just time for him to get some more regular first-team experience under his belt. I think, in terms of midfielders in the Spurs academy, he is the gem, in terms of those who could eventually become a first-team player.
What are his strengths?
Lilywhite Rose: Harvey’s main strengths are his ability to recycle possession in the midfield whilst also having some creative tendencies to his game. He likes to dictate the midfield and if you need a set piece taker Harvey is your guy.
Seb from Spurs Web: His strengths - well that would be a long list. This is a player who has been used in so many different ways by Spurs youth teams and the first team. He is quality in the pockets of midfield, scoring goals and unlocking doors, but can also play a little deeper for you and dictate play. He really impressed playing a Harry Kane type number 10/9 hybrid in the mid-season friendlies. He has even covered at left-back in pre-season before. His versatility is always mentioned as perhaps his biggest strength, as well as those trademark free-kicks.
What are is weaknesses?
Lilywhite Rose: Harvey’s weakness would maybe be his pace but that’s not necessarily noticed playing in central midfield or a deep lying number 6 role.
Seb from Spurs Web: Weaknesses, it's really too early to say without regular first-team football under his belt, but that in itself is a weakness. He needs experience more than anything at the moment.
He is a midfielder. What type of midfielder is he? Is he box-to-box or a creative type?
Lilywhite Rose: Harvey is a number 6. He can be a defensive minded midfield player with the ability to spot defensive splitting passes
What other elements to his game are there?
Lilywhite Rose: His versatility. I have seen Harvey play CM, CDM, LB, LWB, CB and even as a false 9 most recently during a few friendlies towards the end of the recent world cup
Do you think White can be good player in League One for Derby?
Lilywhite Rose: I appreciate Derby are on a great run of form at the moment something like 19 unbeaten but if Harvey is presented with a chance he will not let you down. Harvey has previous experience in League one with Portsmouth having done 6 months on loan with them and scoring a header during an away win at Oxford.
Seb from Spurs Web: I think he will be a great addition to the Derby team. I would have preferred a full season on loan, as it's just a matter of how fast he can hit the ground running now, but I back him to be a shining light in League One, given a few months.
What would be considered a successful loan spell for White, Spurs and Derby?
Lilywhite Rose: Lots of minutes, experienced gained and hopefully promotion to the Championship and then White staying on loan with you next season too. Good luck Harvey and to The Rams .
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