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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Matt Verri

Tottenham: Thomas Frank reveals Doncaster plan as loan starlet Damola Ajayi returns for Cup clash

Man with a plan: Thomas Frank expects no mistakes against Doncaster - (Getty Images)

Thomas Frank has no issue with Damola Ajayi having the opportunity to knock Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup.

The 19-year-old joined Doncaster on loan from Spurs this summer and could face his parent club on Wednesday night.

Spurs host the League One side in the third round of the competition and have permitted Ajayi to be involved in the match.

He started on the wing in the first round against Middlesbrough and scored in a 4-0 win.

The teenager is yet to earn a first League One start but has featured in both Carabao Cup fixtures, and is in contention to play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Asked about the rule that makes Ajayi eligible, Frank said: “I think it's OK.

“He's on loan at another club. I know the Premier League have this if you're on loan from a club, you're not allowed to play [rule].

“We decided to loan him out because it was good for his development. I've done that a thousand times. Maybe not a thousand times, a lot of times at Brentford, but we haven't been that lucky to face one of our own players.

“It is what it is. I think it's a great opportunity for him.”

Homecoming: Damola Ajayai scored for Tottenham in the last season’s Europa League league phase but returns to Hotspur Stadium as the opposition (Getty Images)

The Carabao Cup offers a big opportunity for Spurs to build on their Europa League success last season and lift another trophy.

While they are overwhelming favourites to get past Doncaster, Frank insisted he would name a “strong team” against the League One side.

“I would like us to get there where we can compete in all four tournaments throughout the year,” Frank said.

“If you want to compete in all four tournaments, you need to be good enough to pick the right team every single time. And I promise you before I pick the team, it looks like an unbelievably good plan. And also to be brave enough sometimes with the selection both ways.

“So I think every single time we put a team out there I think it goes super strong, but I think we're also aware that no players can play 60 games, 90 minutes.

“So it's that balance we need to hit throughout the season, not only because we are facing Doncaster.

“It could be Brighton last week, it was Villarreal, you know, we made some changes and we need to hit that perfect number of players that rotates and then a strong team. And it will be a strong team tomorrow.”

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