Georges-Kevin Nkoudou has been thrown a lifeline by Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino following his appearance and assist in a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage over Fulham on Sunday.
Pochettino has seen his options reduced in recent weeks and has Harry Kane out injured, Heung-Mon Son away on international duty, while Mousa Dembele recently departed for China.
Tottenham had frozen Nkoudou out of the first team picture, but he was on the bench at Fulham and Pochettino brought him on in place of the injured Dele Alli with four minutes left.
Nkoudou provided the assist for Harry Winks' injury time winner and Pochettino admits if he keeps taking his chances when they come his way he will get more of them, indicating Nkoudou's Tottenham career may not yet be dead.
Asked at his post match press conference if Nkoudou has a future at Tottenham, Pochettino replied: "You know, at the moment, like other players, we struggle with players we have injured and of course he has the possibility to play.
"If we see the fixtures that we have ahead, we need him and all the players we had today. With all our injuries, with Sonny out, with Dembele out, still [Victor] Wanyama.
"I think many situations can arrive. I think we need all the players today.
"Of course he's disappointed because he didn't play too much until now, but now if there is the possibility like today and he shows this type of performance – I think the cross was perfect – of course he will have the possibility to play."
Nkoudou has been tipped for a move away from Tottenham in this month's transfer window as he looks to get his career back on track, but whether Spurs boss Pochettino will let him leave when he is wrestling with a stretched thin squad is unclear.
