Tottenham wonderkid responds to Neymar comparisons

Emerging Tottenham Hotspur teenager Mikey Moore says he wants to "create excitement" after teammate James Maddison likened him to Brazil legend Neymar.

The 17-year-old has been handed an increasing number of first-team minutes this season by Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, who has previously said that Moore is "ready to start any game".

Moore caught the eye during Spurs' 2-0 win over Ferencvaros in the Europa League in October, before an impressive display against AZ Alkmaar - also on the European stage - prompted Maddison to gush: "From minute 45 to 65, I thought we had Neymar on the left wing."

Speaking to Spurs' official website, Moore has admitted that he instinctively wants to get supporters out of their seats by making something happen, but also tried to temper Maddison's comments somewhat by insisting he still has a lot to learn.

“For me, personally, I always want to create that excitement in the crowd. When I got the ball I was thinking, 'I'm going to beat my man or try to make something happen', and I felt that from the fans, manager and players whenever I had the ball - it was a top game.

“Doing that at home and playing in front of our crowd in that stadium was a dream come true. I know Madders came out after the game with a big compliment but I’m not sure about that just yet! It's obviously nice to hear but that was only one game so there's still a lot more to do.”

Moore's comments echo those made by Postecoglou in October, with the former Celtic boss suggesting that time and opportunities will be afforded to him in order to aid his development.

"What we want to continue to do is develop Mikey in the right way, give him the platform to keep improving," Postecoglou said. "So far, whatever we've asked of him, he's made a real impact and the plan is to continue to do that.

"Mikey just wants to be Mikey. He's very mature for a 17-year-old. He handles things really well, both positive and negative. He works hard every day. And he's making an impact at an age where it is very difficult at this level. But that's the beginning of a process for him."

READ THE LATEST TOTTENHAM NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP