Oxford United are hoping to sign the Tottenham Hotspur striker Dane Scarlett on a season-long loan.
Talks are ongoing between Tottenham and the newly-promoted Championship club over the highly-rated 20-year-old. It is understood that Spurs are prepared to loan Scarlett out for the campaign so he can gain further experience.
Oxford are in the market for a No 9 to provide competition for Mark Harris. Their need has become more pressing after another injury set-back suffered by Will Goodwin, who has damaged ankle ligaments.
Signing Scarlett, who is wanted by other Championship clubs, would be something of a coup for Oxford who got their first season back in the Championship in 25 years off to a flying start on Saturday with a hugely impressive 2-0 win over promotion hopefuls Norwich City, with Harris among the scorers.
Scarlett has been a prolific goal-scorer for Spurs at youth level with 29 goals in 42 games and has also had two previous loan spells – at Ipswich Town, in the first half of last season, and Portsmouth, previous to that, who were promoted along with Oxford.
Spurs want Scarlett’s next move to be at a club that not only plays progressive football but where he has a chance to feature regularly in his preferred position of centre-forward.
Scarlett’s exciting potential has been discussed for the past few seasons with Jose Mourinho, when he was in charge of Spurs, tipping him as a future England international. He was a key member of the England Under-19 squad that won the European Championships in 2022.
Scarlett has already made 10 appearances for Spurs first-team but it has been decided that the best option for his development is another period on loan, especially after the £65 million signing of Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth.
If Scarlett signs for Oxford it will be the ambitious club’s 12 signing of the summer transfer window as they have moved decisively to strengthen their squad in a bid to remain in the Championship. They have just taken promising winger Malcolm Ebiowei, also on loan, from Crystal Palace.