Former Hibs star sent Tottenham message as he impresses for Premier League heavyweight after Easter Road exit
The Tottenham player spent the second half of last season at Hibs.
Dane Scarlett has impressed for Tottenham upon arriving back from a loan to Hibs - and a Champions League factor could keep him at the club.
Roberto De Zerbi is rebuilding the Premier League heavyweight after a close shave with relegation last season. They won’t play in Europe this term but homegrown players will be vital in years ahead with aspirations of playing in the Champions League coming with a need to meet UEFA requirements for homegrown players. Dane Scarlett is in that category and scored Tottenham’s opener in a 2-0 friendly win over Auckland at the weekend.
Scarlett joined Hibs on loan for the second half of last term, the striker playing 13 times, scoring once with an assist to boot. The 22-year-old has been told there will be chances to show why he belongs at Tottenham with UEFA rules meaning young players will fall into that category.
Will Dane Scarlett get a chance at Tottenham?
Head coach De Zerbi said: “We have to play seriously, first of all, because when we play for this club or when we work for this club we have to work in the best way we can. The young players played very, very well, especially in the first half, with a clear idea, with the right spirit, with the right qualities as well. In the second half, we played 30 minutes with the older players, the players of the first team, Mateus Fernandes, Conor Gallagher, Ben Davies, Richarlison, Mathys Tel.
“We didn't concede, we didn't suffer any injuries and this is big news, important news, especially for the beginning of the season. So, now we go to Australia and we follow our pre-season. We can't forget the young players, especially for the new rules, the financial play or the rules of the Champions League, Europa League, and then we have to improve our academy, we have to help them to produce more players because we need it and it's important for the club.
“The new players have to push because with me as a coach they have the chance to play, logically they have to show me they are ready, they have qualities, they have a mentality to play in this club. When I decide the players, when I decide the squad, I never see the age of the players, I just analyse the qualities and the potential of these players. We don't want to take any risk of injuries, of potential injuries. We have to improve the physical condition, because we need running to play football and we have to be stronger.
Who do Hibs have as striker options?
“We have to work on the knowledge of the style of play we put inside the new players because we have very important new players. We have to finish the window of this transfer market because it's not finished yet. I think we can be happier at the end of this transfer market because I spoke a lot of time with the owner, with the board and they want to build a very strong team for this season for sure, to make the days for the future to become great again.”
In terms of striking options at Hibs’ disposal, the club have signed Nathan Lowe on loan from Stoke City. Thibault Klidje has returned to Leith after a loan to Randers in Denmark while Owen Elding, Martin Boyle and Ante Suto are other options for playing up top.