Why the Future at Tottenham Is Grim for Everton Loanee Aaron Lennon

Former England winger Aaron Lennon should, at 27, be in the prime of his career. 

However, having been shipped off to Everton on loan, it is clear that his future at Tottenham Hotspur is virtually non-existent. 

Lennon is Tottenham's longest-serving current player. Since joining the club in 2005, he has made almost 400 appearances, and he should have many more years of Premier League football left in him. 

His well-renowned pace was once a source of terror for left-backs around the league and even in Europe, but that is simply no longer the case. His consistent domination of Manchester United's Patrice Evra was held up as evidence of his capacity to be a top-quality winger. 

Lennon provides width. That is the most common line from the apologists among Spurs fans, even now. While it is true that Lennon, a "classic winger," drives almost exclusively on his right foot to the byline before attempting to cross the ball, his inability to produce anything meaningful while in possession makes that width rather pointless. 

He may pull defenders out of position, but that is not enough to warrant a place in the Spurs side. 

His goalscoring rate is surprisingly high. Lennon has scored roughly once every 10 or 12 games. He also possesses a unique record of never having been on the losing side when scoring for Tottenham.

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Lennon has scored some famous Tottenham goals. The equaliser in a 4-4 draw against Arsenal in 2008 and the fourth of five against the old enemy in the League Cup semi-final earlier that year were just two of his finest moments. The winner against Chelsea in 2006 may have been the greatest of all.  

Just one goal in his last 50 appearances, though, explains why he has been sidelined in favour of Nacer Chadli, Erik Lamela and Andros Townsend. 

A record of 21 England caps and no goals is perhaps more indicative of the goal threat that Lennon poses at this point in his career. 

To be fair to Lennon, goalscoring was never his forte. At his best, he was a regular provider of assists and scoring chances. More even than his memorable goals, Lennon provided some iconic assists. 

Lennon's pass to Peter Crouch at the San Siro, following a typically electric run, has a place in Tottenham folklore forever. His astonishing performance in the 9-1 win against Wigan in 2009 had him on top of the Premier League assists table, but the injury that struck him down that season may have undone his career. 

He has never reached the heights of that season again.

Lennon will find a place in the Premier League. His defensive discipline and ability to combine with the appropriate full-back mean that he is not a spent force. He will still occasionally roast defenders, but most are now familiar with his tricks. 

Comparisons with Arsenal's Theo Walcott were once favourable to Lennon. That now seems laughable, as Walcott has developed into a genuine goal threat (albeit a perpetually injured one) while Lennon has stagnated.

Lennon's early seasons at Spurs were thought of so highly because of his youth and potential. Unfortunately, he has never progressed beyond that early promise. The 27-year-old Lennon is in no way superior to the 17-year-old version.

That is the key reason why Spurs cannot persist with him. They cannot curtail the potential development of Chadli, Lamela or Townsend in favour of a player who has shown he is incapable of development. 

Some have suggested that a positional switch would revitalise Lennon's career. A move to right-back seems like an obvious fit. His defensive discipline and pace mean he at least has the potential to succeed in that role. Antonio Valencia has certainly proven capable of making the same move for Manchester United. 

HereistheCity.com argues Lennon should instead be moved centrally, to run off the striker. This idea also has some merits until you remember that Lennon's shooting is almost as good as his crossing.

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Lennon has, by all accounts, settled well at Everton. Perhaps Roberto Martinez will get the best out of him there. No Spurs fans will have any ill will towards Lennon. A long-serving player, occasional captain and a virtual ever-present through the last decade of progress at Tottenham.

Unfortunately, that progress means Spurs have largely left players like Lennon behind.

A side with attacking full-backs as a key part of its playing style is not suited for a player like Lennon, who needs space to accelerate and room to move. Spurs play this way and it has often seen Lennon at a loss for how to play his natural game.

He would thrive at any of the many clubs that have shown interest in him. He could take part in Steve Bruce's attempt to rebuild Martin Jol's old Spurs team at Hull City, or instead head to Stoke City to join Mark Hughes.

With the qualities he possesses, Lennon is a Premier League-quality player. Being English, he also helps alleviate the home-grown burden and will certainly find a place to continue his Premier League career. 

He needs only 20 appearances to join the exclusive group of players to have played 300 games in the Premier League.

With luck, he could play five years or more in England's top flight, but it will not happen at Spurs.