Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi was full of praise for teenage star Luca Williams‑Barnett after his impressive 45‑minute cameo off the bench against Sydney in pre‑season.The Tottenham Hotspur youngsters continue to earn game time under Roberto De Zerbi during the club’s pre-season camp.Against Sydney, the trend continued with as many as four Tottenham academy graduates making the starting XI.The second half, however, saw that number double as Spurs went in search of a winner but failed to find one and had to settle for a 1-1 draw at full-time before beating the A-League side 4-2 on penalties.Credit: @tristram pearson/InstagramRoberto De Zerbi opens up on Luca Williams-Barnett after impressive cameo against SydneyOne of the stars of the show was Luca Williams-Barnett, who got 45 minutes of football under his belt after coming on in place of goalscorer Mathys Tel.The 17-year-old did not waste any time getting into the game and showing his quality, with his first attempt on goal striking the woodwork.The teenager remained a nuisance, keeping the Sydney defence on their toes as he was direct in his approach and showed a willingness to take on his man.Williams-Barnett was one of Spurs Web’s highest-rated Tottenham players from the clash against Sydney.Following his impressive display, De Zerbi – speaking to football.london – has now explained why he believes Williams-Barnett is one of Tottenham’s brightest young talents.He said: “We have to manage him like a precious diamond. We have to help him to improve in the last decision. Physically, work harder to become stronger because this time of football, he needs to be strong, and to give him space when there is the right moment. I usually give time to all the young players I work with in my career, and he is a potential special player.”Williams-Barnett shows promise but still has areas to refineWilliams‑Barnett is certainly an exciting talent, but there are still several areas of his game that need refining if he’s to take the next step in his development.His decision‑making in the final third remains a work in progress, and improving that aspect will make him a far greater threat in and around the box. Against Sydney, he had moments where he could have chosen better options when arriving in the area, occasionally overplaying instead of making the decisive choice.That said, his composure shone through with his coolly executed Panenka penalty, confidently taking Tottenham’s first spot‑kick and showing real maturity in a high‑pressure moment.What comes next in his development at Tottenham remains to be seen, including whether the club decides to send him out on loan this summer.READ MORE: Five things we learned as Tottenham beat Sydney on penalties in pre-seasonThe post De Zerbi reveals his plan for ‘precious diamond’ Luca Williams-Barnett at Tottenham appeared first on Spurs Web.