Roberto De Zerbi will make the final call on Mason Melia’s next move this summer following the youngster’s first senior international appearance.
The 18-year-old striker arrived at Spurs in January carrying a back injury, which alongside a subsequent chest infection delayed his U21 debut until last month.
Melia has trained with the Tottenham first team since his recovery but is yet to feature in a matchday squad for the north London club.
Despite that, the teenager earned his first Republic of Ireland senior cap on Thursday night under manager Heimir Hallgrimsson in Dublin.
Melia came on in the 89th minute of a 1-0 friendly victory against Qatar at the Aviva Stadium, making an immediate mark on the international stage.
He fittingly replaced Troy Parrott, a former Spurs academy product who played a handful of games for the club before starring in the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar.
Tottenham agreed a deal with St Patrick’s Athletic last year for an initial £1.6million, a record figure for the League of Ireland, with add-ons capable of doubling that fee.
Melia was handed a long-term contract until 2031, with Spurs beating off several top clubs to secure a player who had already registered 25 goals and eight assists across 98 senior appearances for St Pat’s.
What comes next for Melia following Friday night’s friendly in Canada will be determined entirely by De Zerbi during pre-season in just over a month’s time.
Spurs are expected to bring in a new forward this summer, with Richarlison linked with a departure as his contract enters its final year.
De Zerbi has made clear publicly that he rates Dominic Solanke highly despite his injury-ravaged season, while 21-year-old Will Lankshear hit 12 goals for relegated Championship side Oxford United on loan last season.
With senior first-team opportunities likely to remain limited, a loan move could be the most likely outcome for Melia to ensure his development does not stagnate within under-21s football.
The post Roberto De Zerbi To Decide Mason Melia’s Future After Teenager Makes Republic Of Ireland Senior Debut appeared first on Gooner Daily.