‘Forgot he even there’: Jamie O’Hara says £15m Tottenham player has just been ‘different class’ this season

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Jamie O’Hara has admitted forgetting that Tottenham Hotspur even had Destiny Udogie on their books before this season, insisting that the left-back has been different class for Spurs.

O’Hara was speaking on talkSPORT after Ange Postecoglou’s side secured the 2-0 win at Bournemouth which temporarily sent Tottenham to the top of the Premier League.

Destiny Udogie has taken little time to establish himself as Postecoglou’s first-choice option for the left-back spot. Of course, the 20-year-old signed for Tottenham last summer, but spent last season on loan with Udinese.

During that year, fans must have feared that Spurs were going to be made to rue spending that £15 million fee on the youngster. He signed under a completely different management team.

O’Hara amazed by Udogie form for Tottenham

But in truth, Udogie has looked frightening in Postecoglou’s system. Certainly, he has had few issues adapting to the role the Australian wants him to play.

And it was Udogie who helped wrap up the points on Saturday. He set up Dejan Kulusevski for the second goal, using his perseverance to hook the ball across to the Swede.

It is already scary to think of the level Udogie could reach if he continues to improve. In fact, O’Hara believes that he is already one of the best Tottenham have had in that position for a very long time.

“This Udogie, I forgot he was even there. We sent him on loan last season. He’s been different class,” he told talkSPORT.

“I think he’s the best left-back we’ve had since Danny Rose. And Danny Rose was a really good player for us.”

It is going to be a big ask for Udogie to step up to the level Rose reached. Obviously, the Englishman’s time at Tottenham did end in a disappointing manner. And his career has never really managed to recover.

But for a time, Tottenham had arguably the best full-back partnership in the country in Rose and Kyle Walker.

That is an incredibly high bar. But it is surely fair to say that many Spurs fans will agree that Udogie may be the best option Tottenham have had in that position for some time.