Tottenham have their own JJ Gabriel, he should face Man United on Saturday

Roberto De Zerbi has to give Luca Williams-Barnett some minutes against Man United on Saturday as he is linked to numerous top clubs.

De Zerbi is under pressure to get things right as Tottenham return to action this weekend after the extended international break.

They are sat rock bottom of the Premier League with just two points as it stands, and their trip to fellow strugglers Man United is already being labelled as a must-win for the boss.

De Zerbi has handed first-team minutes to several youth stars since his arrival, with Williams-Barnett recently appearing in the Carabao Cup against Charlton Athletic.

The 18-year-old is one of Spurs' biggest youth prospects, and fans are keen to see him feature more regularly at senior level to solve their attacking woes.

New developments around his future prove that De Zerbi should be fast-tracking him into the squad this weekend as he searches for a solution in the final third.

Tottenham must avoid JJ Gabriel situation with Luca Williams-Barnett

Williams-Barnett came through Spurs' youth ranks to be handed his senior debut last season and included in De Zerbi's squad for their pre-season tour over the summer.

He registered 13 goal contributions in 11 appearances for their under-21s last season, and has three in two games so far this term.

The Tottenham manager has shown more trust in the 18-year-old, with 12 minutes off the bench against Charlton, but things should be advancing for him to be involved this weekend against United.

Williams-Barnett is attracting interest from the Red Devils right now, as well as Man City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, according to Sky Germany's latest report.

United themselves know all about losing a key youth star, with Gabriel set to leave soon after not being given enough first-team chances in his eyes.

Williams-Barnett's current contract is believed to be expiring in 2028, so he could be tempted away from Spurs for a better path to senior stardom in the coming months.

He proved his quality with several impressive displays for England U19s over the international break and is clearly ready to make an impact at first team level.

De Zerbi is already in a desperate situation and clearly needs to try something different to save his job, with Williams-Barnett waiting in the wings to become a star against United this weekend.

What has De Zerbi said about Williams-Barnett in public?

De Zerbi has been careful with his praise of Williams-Barnett, but is surely set to hand him more chances based on what he has already told reporters.

Speaking about the teenager in July, he said: "We have to manage him like a precious diamond. We have to help him to improve in the last decision. (He must improve) physically, and work harder to become stronger because this time of football, he needs to be strong.

“I usually give time to all the young players I work with in my career, and he is a potential special player.”