Wilson Odobert: “I really feel I’ll be part of a great project here”
Sun 18 August 2024, 14:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Wilson Odobert is relishing the opportunity to play his part in an exciting project at the Club after joining us from Burnley on Friday.
The 19-year-old, who has agreed a deal that will run until 2029, featured prominently for the Clarets in his maiden season in England last term in which he scored three goals and provided three assists in 29 Premier League appearances.
Heading into what is his third campaign of senior football, Wilson returns to the English top flight after his move from the Championship side and is now ready to fight for his place in the side in order to showcase his talents and more importantly help our club achieve its ambitions that match his own.
“It’s a great feeling to sign for this club,” said our new number 28. “I’m so happy to be here with you all right now.
“First and foremost, Tottenham is a massive club and it’s hugely ambitious too. I think in fact the club and myself share the same ambitions, we’re pretty much on the same wavelength.
“I really feel I’ll be part of a great project here, which enjoys fantastic support and has a superb stadium. It’s a top club as I say, and all these factors helped convince me to come here.
“I’m really up for it! To do everything I can to fight really hard to succeed in winning the fans over and to help the club to get results. Even though I’m still young, I want to be ambitious and I really want to play. And I’m keen to please the fans and to do myself proud in front of them.”
Wilson started out at Paris Saint-Germain’s academy where, at 16 years old, he scored 19 goals in 30 appearances at Under-19 level before moving to French side Troyes the following campaign, netting four times in 32 matches in Ligue 1.
The attacker signed for Burnley in the summer of 2023 where he became the Clarets’ youngest-ever Premier League goalscorer after scoring against Chelsea in October, 2023, and ended his spell at Turf Moor with a goal in their 4-1 away win over Luton Town in the Championship opener last Monday night, taking his tally to five goals in 34 appearances in all competitions.
Still only a teenager, the ambitious winger believes his experience gained since playing in this country – such as facing a ‘tough’ Spurs side in both the Premier League and FA Cup at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – has helped him grow and develop on and off the pitch.
“It was a good experience for me,” Wilson added. “It was a great way for me to settle into English football because this league isn’t an easy one to get used to playing in.
“But that gave me the chance and helped me to grow and develop as a player in terms of technique and mentality on the field and as a person off it. So having been at Burnley served as a really great experience for me.
“It’s a tough ask to come here and play against Tottenham, it’s not at all easy. From the outset I was hugely impressed by the stadium and the supporters. It was tough here last season too, but for sure, I was really impressed by the stadium and the club as a whole.”
What can we expect from Wilson as a player? Well, when asked about who he looks up to, the young Frenchman offered an exciting insight into his attacking style of play as well as revealing our certain star player as a source of inspiration.
“I’ve got a decent amount of pace, and I like to take people on in one against one situations and dribble,” added the France Under-21 international. “I like to get on the ball and have plenty of touches in a game. I like to bring others in, to entertain and at the same time enjoy my football too.
“I used to watch players like Neymar, Robinho and Ronaldinho all the time. All three were great dribblers and top players too. I tried to gain my inspiration from them. Also [Heung-Min] Son was also a source of inspiration for me and he sets a great example - I love his style of play.”
