Vincent Janssen has been warned that he needs to “do more” if he is to convince Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino of his worth.
The Netherlands international has endured a tough time in English football since completing an £18.5 million move from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2016.
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Janssen has just four goals to his name and is yet to score from open play, with all of his strikes thus far coming from the penalty spot.
The 22-year-old did not make the matchday squad for Spurs’ Europa League clash with Gent and has now seen his efforts in training called into question ahead of a FA Cup date against Fulham on Sunday.
When pressed on whether the Dutchman would be involved at Craven Cottage, Pochettino said: “Maybe. Today he was out of the squad. He needs to show more, and we will see.
“Maybe he will have the opportunity to be on the bench or play [from the start]. Today we cannot be sure if he will be on the squad, on the bench or start from the beginning.”
Asked to elaborate on what he meant by “show more”, the Argentine added: “Performance is always about how the players show their quality, their belief on the training ground.
“When you select the starting XI and the bench, I try to be fair. It's normal that maybe he needs to show more.”
Janssen’s solitary Premier League strike this season came against Leicester City, with an eight-game barren run then endured before he found the target in a FA Cup meeting with Wycombe Wanderers.