Spurs given warning

TRANSFER TALK

Those target clubs include Tottenham of course. Crystal Palace had a £6-million bid rejected in the summer, Everton are following the young forward as are Arsenal.

Talking up his player, as is usual when a transfer may be imminent to maximise any fee, he describes 19-year-old (20 next October) Lookman as the best teenager outside the Premier League.

“I’m so excited to be working with the best kid outside the Premier League. How amazing is that on your first day? Here you go, work with him. Woah [claps hands in delight]. 

“There are so many components to development and so many components to having an infrastructure in place that allows him to go through the leagues. My background is youth development. I had Patrick Bamford, Lewis Baker and Benik Afobe. It’s about bringing these kids through and integrating them into a first-team environment. 

“He’s already been integrated into a first-team environment. Now it’s the right support mechanisms that goes around him. But wow, what a good player he is. He is top, top. My daughter was at the game on Saturday and she is only 10, she said ‘wow, who is he?’ after about 15 minutes. 

“He’s obvious, isn’t he? The little man is a little genius. Belief is good – grounded. A little bit nasty, be that. I never stopped Del’s edge. It’s no bad thing. You need to have that in any walk of life. 

“I’ve not spoken to him or his advisors. I’ve had about 15 meetings and I don’t know what day it is! It’s about finding my feet and I’ll slowly work that one out. 

“He’s a Charlton player. If they want him there’s a price-tag, obviously. That’s the way it is. They have to meet the club’s expectations.”