Malachi Hardy made an appearance on the Spurs bench against Manchester City, but who is the Tottenham Hotspur youngster?
Malachi Hardy is one of many talented youngsters currently in Tottenham’s academy ranks. Born about 20 miles from White Hart Lane, in Watford, he has been at the club since he was eight years old.
And being born less than a month after Tottenham’s 2008 League Cup win, the last competitive trophy the club lifted, Hardy is just 16 years old. Had he come off the bench against Manchester City, he would have become the youngest player to represent Spurs, a record currently held by Mikey Moore, when he replaced James Maddison earlier this year against City.
Although Hardy played in midfield as a child, the 6ft 2in player has now established himself as a centre-back. According to Yahoo Sports, Hardy possesses an impressive recovery pace and is confident on the ball, while his greatest strength is defending one-on-one situations.
The fact Hardy now plays as a central defender is a key reason he made the trip to Manchester. With both Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven injured, Spurs have a shortage at the back, allowing the young defender the chance to train and travel with the first team which will live long in his memory.
Hardy’s inclusion in Tottenham’s matchday squad may still come as a bit of a surprise though, as he has only appeared for the club at under-18 level. But Tottenham are currently third in the under-18s Premier League South, and Hardy has been an important player for them, starting all but two of their matches.
Hardy has captained the England under-17s team in two recent fixtures against Malta and Sweden in European Championship qualifying, showing that he has potential not only as a player, but as a leader.
Hardy is clearly a talented player who has done well enough at youth level to deserve a chance in the first-team squad. However, with other defenders further ahead in their careers, such as Ashley Phillips, who is currently on loan at Stoke City, and Luka Vuskovic, who will join Spurs in the summer, Hardy will have to be patient.
But if Spurs continue to experience injuries in their centre-back position, Hardy may be seen again on the team sheet at some point during the season.
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