Pundit now says he would start 20-year-old Tottenham man over £32m Arsenal star

Pundit Darren Ambrose now believes there’s no doubt that 20-year-old Tottenham Hotspur player Destiny Udogie would start for Arsenal.

Ambrose was speaking to talkSPORT and said that Udogie would be in his combined North London eleven.

Although he admitted that £32m Oleksandr Zinchenko’s injury is a factor in his decision, he puts Udogie in on merit.

Ambrose said: “I would put Romero in. Udogie gets in on current form.

“But he [Oleksandr Zinchenko] hasn’t been playing much.

“He has been injured. It’s been a good start. I forgot he was at Spurs when he went on loan.”

Quite the compliment for a full-back who only made his Spurs debut last month after a £15m move in 2022.

Udogie was of course loaned back to Serie A side Udinese upon Spurs completing a permanent move for the youngster.

And Udogie has now looked quite brilliant under Ange Postecoglou’s management.

The 20-year-old could well have the left-back spot nailed down for years to come at Tottenham

Of course, his biggest test will come this month when Udogie and Tottenham face a trip to Arsenal.

Ambrose thinks Tottenham’s Udogie would start for Arsenal

Although the left side of Ange’s defence looks to be nailed down, the same can’t be said on the right.

Pedro Porro looks much improved this year but could still prove short defensively when Spurs have bigger tests.

Porro’s passing and attacking play is a joy to watch for fans but there will still be question marks over his defending.

Emerson Royal is of course waiting in the wings if Postecoglou wants to make a switch.

And it will be interesting to see who Ange will line up alongside Udogie for Tottenham when they visit Arsenal.

One would doubt that Ambrose would protest for Porro or Royal to start over the likes of Ben White or Takehiro Tomiyasu.