Promising young Tottenham forward Josh Onomah has turned down advances from Premier League suitors Chelsea and Liverpool to extend his contract just over six months after signing his last new deal.
The club announced on Wednesday he has committed his future until 2020, having signed a long-term contract until 2019 last July.
He said: “It’s a dream come true. Since I was a youngster it was my dream to play for Tottenham, so I’ve got to get my head down and carry on working.
“This shows that if you work hard you’ll get the rewards. Thanks to the gaffer. He trusts me, puts me in tough games and has given me minutes. I thank him, the fans and everyone else around me for their support.”
Onomah – an 18-year-old academy star who plays as a number 10 or from wide positions – has been in and around Mauricio Pochettino’s first-team this season and made two starts in cup competitions.
Pochettino has high hopes for Onomah and he was one of an exclusive group of youngsters taken on last summer’s post-season tour of Malaysia and Australia.
Chelsea and Liverpool were reportedly keen on the 18-year-old in the summer and have been keeping tabs on his progress this season.
But after impressing seven senior appearances this term, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is hoping to tie him down to a new long-term deal.
Onomah has featured in the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League this season, and Pochettino has been full of praise for the Spurs academy product.
“He is a special boy, a special player, because of his talent, his potential and his body,” Pochettino said.
The England U19 international has appeared on the bench in 15 out of the last 21 games in all competitions, and was used as a substitute over the recently departed Andros Townsend in seven of those.
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