Tottenham confirm Marcus Edwards loan move to Norwich City

Marcus Edwards has left Tottenham Hotspur to join Norwich City on loan until the end of the season, the club have confirmed.

Highly-rated prospect Edwards progressed through the ranks of the Tottenham academy after joining as an eight-year-old and earned the nickname 'mini-Messi' after manager Mauricio Pochettino drew similarities between the youngster and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner due to his potential, physical stature and promising left foot.

Despite those rave reviews, the teenager, a regular fixture in the England youth set-up who formed part of the Young Lions squad that won the European Under-19 Championship in Georgia in July, has made just one senior appearance to date for Spurs as a late substitute in the 5-0 EFL Cup third-round rout of League One outfit Gillingham in September 2016.

While injury problems have undoubtedly stunted his progress somewhat, Pochettino admitted last month that he may have made a mistake with that Messi comparison that he believed the player would take it in a "positive way".

The north London side have now confirmed Norwich have won the race to sign their talent.

Tottenham have preferred to keep their brightest young talents at the club under the current managerial regime, yet that stance was altered last summer as Cameron Carter-Vickers and Josh Onomah were permitted to join Championship sides Sheffield United and Aston Villa respectively on season-long loan deals.

Spurs retained recall options on both of those players and have decided to take action with Carter-Vickers, confirming their young defender has returned to north London.

Aside from loaning Georges-Kevin Nkoudou to Burnley, traditionally cautious operators Tottenham have yet to act during what is expected to be a typically quiet winter window from their perspective, though Pochettino insists they are "awake about the market".

Stevenage counterpart Darren Sarll recently admitted that he is resigned to losing reported defender target Ben Wilmot, while Spurs are believed to be on the verge of being beaten to the signing of Bordeaux forward Malcolm by rivals Arsenal.

Reports last week claimed that the top-four hopefuls were ready to open contract talks with Christian Eriksen and in-form forward Heung-Min Son in addition to handing Harry Kane a pay rise that they hope will keep speculation over a lucrative transfer to Real Madrid at bay. They also remain hopeful of eventually reaching an agreement with Toby Alderweireld.

"I am happy to be at the club and have nothing negative to say about it [Tottenham] at all," Eriksen, who has two-and-a-half years left to run on the £70,000-a-week contract extension he penned in September 2016, told Danish broadcaster TV3 SPORT following a 4-0 thumping of Everton in which he netted the final goal late on.