At just 15 years of age Dean Parrett was viewed as one of the brightest young talents in England and there was already a number of clubs racing in to sign him – including all four of England’s “Big Four”. They were all to be denied his signature though as Parrett agreed terms with Tottenham Hotspur and joined them as a student in 2007 with a scholars deal being signed in July 2008. Such was Parrett’s reputation that Spurs paid upwards of £1 million for the young midfielder.

Parrett was already playing for England’s Under 16’s when he joined Spurs and began appearing for Spurs’ Under 18’s whilst still under 16, such was his ability. A driving attacking midfielder with pace and determination in the mould of Steven Gerrard, his signing delighted many at the club. The youngster’s already displayed good passing, dribbling and tackling abilities. Then-Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli said of him

“Dean is exactly the kind of player we want to attract to our Club, a player who will be part of the next generation to come through to the first team. He is an extremely talented young player who has that rare combination of pace, aggression and creativity.”

Parrett continued to play for the Under 18’s and moved up to England’s Under 18’s. By the age of 16 he was already an undisputed starter for Spurs’ Under 18’s and soon after became captain. In the summer of 2008 he made the jump to the reserves squad. In December 2008 Parrett signed his first professional contract with the club and mere weeks later found himself on the bench of a first team game for a UEFA Cup clash with Spartak Moscow. Parrett didn’t come on in that game but his merely being in the first team squad at the age of 17 showed how highly rated he was by the club.

Parrett would make his first team bow soon after; the young midfielder started a UEFA Cup clash with Ukrainian side Shakhtar and was very impressive as he played almost the whole match. He came off the bench in the return leg the week after and was soon named in the provisional squad for Tottenham’s Carling Cup final clash with Manchester United though he didn’t make the final cut.

In the summer of 2009 he was named in the England Under 19’s squad for the Under 19’s Championship and he featured in most games, looking promising. Then in September he was loaned out to League Two side Accrington for a month where he quickly looked settled in their first team. Accrington wanted to extend the loan but Spurs didn’t agree to it and Parrett instead returned to White Hart Lane.

Now aged 18, Parrett has already appeared for the first team, had first team experience in League Two, represented England Under 19’s and had a lot of favourable reviews. His name has come up less since the signing of John Bostock but Parrett is just as talented as Bostock and could yet prove the more important of the two to Spurs, there’s a reason all the big teams wanted the teenager after all. Ignoring the “Next Gerrard” tag there is a lot to Parrett’s game and he looks certain to make it at the very top.

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