Can Alex Pritchard make the grade at Tottenham?

The Tottenham Hotspur first team has seen an injection of academy products in the starting XI over the past couple of seasons.

Andros Townsend, Nabil Bentaleb, Ryan Mason and most recently, Harry Kane have all successfully made the step up and have received international recognition for their efforts.

All but Bentaleb were loaned out on numerous occasions to gain first team experience before getting into the starting eleven.

Alex Pritchard is currently on loan at Brentford and is being tipped by many to make the step up next season and challenge for a place in the Spurs team.

He too has done the rounds, completing loan spells at Peterborough and Swindon Town before his current spell in West London.

It was at Swindon last season where he started to catch the eye, netting eight times in all competitions, and earned nominations for League One Player of the Year and also Football League Young Player of the Year.

This season has seen him improve greatly, he's been in terrific form as Brentford seek back to back promotions.

Pritchard is confident in his own ability as this season he has attempted an average of 3.1 shots per game, which has led to 10 goals - joint second most in the team. He has also recorded seven assists, the most by any Brentford player so far.

Equally adept on both feet, he's scored every sort of goal for Brentford. Tap-ins, long range efforts, free kicks and also a penalty. Although yet to score a header, but at just 5ft 7in you can excuse him for that.

Pritchard is also versatile and has played in all three of the positions behind the striker for Mark Warburton's men this season in the 4-2-3-1 formation; the same one that Spurs employ.

Warburton also believes that Pritchard will make the grade at Spurs. The Brentford manager said: "He can dominate a football. Alex is best with the ball at his feet. He's the best player I've seen in this division, certainly, to receive the ball on the half-turn at pace.

"Technically he's outstanding. For me, Pritch is nailed on for the Premier League. I think he is more than good enough to go and positively impact their playing squad."

He's also represented England at both U20 and U21 level and will be hoping to receive a call up to the European Under-21 Championships in the Czech Republic over the summer.

Early signs are that Pritchard will be given a chance next season to prove his worth under Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

They turned down a bid for him just before the January transfer window, and Pochettino was in the stands during the recent 4-1 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Argentine is renowned for giving youngsters a chance to prosper, something he did brilliantly at Southampton and is currently doing at White Hart Lane.

At just 21, Pritchard has got time on his side and with a summer clear out apparently planned at White Hart Lane, he could well find himself lining up alongside his fellow academy graduates in August.