Tottenham have just sent a major hint that Luca Williams-Barnett’s opportunity to impress may not be far away.Many Spurs fans have been clamouring for Williams-Barnett to get an opportunity this season, particularly after the 17-year-old starlet stood out in the club’s pre-season friendlies.The Tottenham academy midfielder is continuing to impress in youth football, and given that De Zerbi’s men are struggling to create chances and score goals, many see the youngster as a potential solution.The teenager featured in Spurs’ Carabao Cup second-round win over Charlton back in August, but he has not made Tottenham’s matchday squad in the Premier League since their opening-day clash at Brentford.Credit: @oscar.visualss / InstagramTottenham hint that Luca Williams-Barnett is part of first-team squadTottenham released their official squad photographs for the 2026-27 season on Thursday, and there were a couple of surprises.One was the inclusion of Richarlison even though he has been left out of the club’s 25-man Premier League squad.The other was the presence of Williams-Barnett, who was the only academy player in the photo. That suggests that the youngster is now primarily seen as a first-team option, rather than an U21s or U18s player at Hotspur Way.Even more interestingly, the 17-year-old Spurs man has just made one appearance in Premier League 2 this season, which suggests that he is training with the senior squad full-time.Roberto De Zerbi explains why Williams-Barnett has not yet had an opportunityWilliams-Barnett has showcased his quality again during the international break, scoring a screamer for England’s U19s in their win over Norway.When asked about the attacking midfielder two weeks ago, De Zerbi insisted he has not forgotten about the 17-year-old, and explained that he wants to manage the youngster carefully rather than throwing him into the deep end.When asked about Williams-Barnett, the Tottenham boss said: “Yes, I have a big consideration because he is a good player and a potential big player.“We have to understand when is the best situation for him and the team also. It is a different job to manage a young player, especially when they have the potential to be a top player.“You cannot put them in a bad condition but you also cannot forget about them. I did not forget about Luca and I did not forget about Malachi [Hardy] but it is about the right moment.”READ MORE: Tottenham’s Old Trafford record tells a clear story ahead of Man United clashThe post Tottenham drop subtle Luca Williams-Barnett hint amid Richarlison jump scare appeared first on Spurs Web.