‘Sad’ Vincent Janssen comes clean about Tottenham future

Vincent Janssen: Will fight for his place

Vincent Janssen will not give up on his Tottenham career after a difficult start to life in the Premier League.

The 22-year-old has vowed to prove his worth despite making just five Premier League starts and scoring once since his £17million summer move from AZ Alkmaar.

Janssen, who has been linked with Galatasaray, has struggled to get into the first-team plans of Mauricio Pochettino, who over the weekend admitted the striker “has to do more” to justify his selection.

With Harry Kane ahead of Janssen in the pecking order it has been an almost impossible job for Janssen to force his way into the first XI. Kane looked set to be rested against Fulham in the FA Cup yesterday having picked up a knock in midweek, but the England man started and scored a hat-trick with Janssen looking on from the bench.

Janssen, who has not scored from open play in a Tottenham shirt, missed out on a place in the squad for the game against Gent in midweek but told the Mirror: “I have given myself 12 months to succeed in the Premier League with Tottenham. And those 12 months are not over yet.

Vincent Janssen: Staying put

“The level is really high here. Up until last week we were second in the league. Don’t forget I had only played one season at the highest level in Holland when Spurs bought me from AZ Alkmaar.

“In a short period of time I have made some big steps forward in my career.

“I’m not going to throw the towel in just because things are not going great for the first time in my career. I am jumping to put the Spurs shirt on, but I will have to prove to the coach that I deserve to play.

“I was only told one hour before the game on Thursday that I had to sit in the stand, I was the 19th man. Obviously that message made me sad. But the manager makes the choices.”

Janssen last started in the FA Cup win against Aston Villa at the beginning of January and his four goals to date have all come from the penalty spot.