Tottenham Hotspur have several first-team players out on loan away from north London this campaign.

This includes Juan Foyth at Villarreal under former arch-nemesis Unai Emery, Cameron Carter-Vickers at AFC Bournemouth and Ryan Sessegnon, who is getting valuable game time at Hoffenheim.

However, none of these are proving to be a long-term defensive solution for Jose Mourinho, although young academy prospect Timothy Eyoma is surely catching his eye.

The 20-year-old has excelled at right-back for Lincoln City this season and is equally adept in central defence - very much like Japhet Tanganga and Kyle Walker.

Per WhoScored, the youngster has started 11 times in League One, where he has averaged 2.4 aerials won, 1.9 tackles, 1.3 clearances and 0.9 dribbles per game.

The official Spurs website describes Eyoma as "calm on the ball and intelligent at playing out from the back" and in the summer, he was rewarded with a new three-year contract which only emphasises what the senior hierarchy at the club thinks of him.

Eyoma has been involved in the first-team on three occasions, twice as an unused substitute in the Premier League and EFL Cup whilst against Tranmere in 2019, he made his debut by replacing Davinson Sanchez with 11 minutes to go.

The Imps find themselves fourth in the table with one of the best defensive records in the division, conceding just nine goals from 11 matches which is less than a goal-per-game. Only two teams have conceded fewer, Charlton and Sunderland, two former heavyweights at the top.

Spurs' young starlet has played an integral part in that so it's important that the decision-makers, including Mourinho, do not turn their nose up because of the standard at which he is playing.

Firstly, they sent him to this level and secondly, Walker was impressing in the very same league on loan to Northampton Town whilst still at Sheffield United before securing his move to the north Londoners.

Look how he turned out.

Lincoln boss Michael Appleton has lauded Eyomas as an "aggressive athlete" who is "very comfortable on the ball" which should be everything that Mourinho wants in a defender.

It may be too soon for first-team stardom, but he's certainly a name that should be considered going forward. His emergence would certainly save Daniel Levy a lot of money in the future.

AND in other news, £62m-rated Spurs outcast dealt another cruel sucker-punch...