Big things have been expected from Ryan Sessegnon ever since he burst onto the scene as a fresh-faced Fulham 16-year-old back in 2016.
His debut season in senior football saw him become the youngest player to be named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year, and the following campaign he fired Fulham to promotion to the Premier League, chipping in with 16 goals and eight assists and scooping the Championship Player of the Year Award - still aged just 17.
Sessegnon did not quite dazzle as brightly as he had in the second tier during his maiden campaign in the top flight as Fulham convincingly tumbled out of the top flight, taking just 26 points all season. But the huge potential he undoubtedly possessed meant Tottenham were prepared to splash out £25m to bring the teenager to north London.
However, Sessegnon's start to life at Spurs was disrupted by injury and he was forced to wait until 4 November to make his first-team debut. Just over a fortnight later, Mauricio Pochettino - the man who brought Sessegnon to north London - was replaced by Jose Mourinho.
The youngster would go on to feature just 12 times in all competitions during his debut season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and he was shipped out on loan to Hoffenheim during the final month of the 2020 transfer window.
Having been largely restricted to substitute cameos during his maiden month in the Bundesliga, Sessegnon enjoyed a thoroughly impressive November with his new side, scooping Hoffenheim's Player of the Month award and allowing Tottenham fans to get just a little bit carried away about their talented youngster.
The former Fulham man made his Hoffenheim debut against Borussia Dortmund 12 days after signing for the club, coming off the bench for the final 11 minutes of the Bundesliga defeat to BVB.
A four-minute cameo against Werder Bremen was sandwiched in between Europa League starts in Hoffenheim's comfortable group stage wins over Red Star Belgrade and Gent - with Sessegnon playing the full 90 on both occasions.
He was handed his first Bundesliga start against Union Berlin at the beginning of November. Hoffenheim lined up with a back three, with Sessegnon initially deployed at left wing-back for the first 38 minutes.
However, when Stefan Posch picked up an injury shortly before half-time, the on-loan Spurs man was forced to step in as a left-sided centre-half for the first time in his career. He then moved to left-back following Robert Skov's 58th-minute dismissal.
My guys❤️✊?✊?✊? Solidarity!! #NoToRacism@tsghoffenheim pic.twitter.com/fZ9gQnJRFG
— Ryan Sessegnon (@RyanSessegnon) November 5, 2020
The day he made his Bundesliga debut, Sessegnon revealed he had been the victim of racist abuse on Instagram. His teammates showed their solidarity for him during their 5-0 win over Slovan Liberec by raising their fists in the black power salute after Mu'nas Dabbur opened the scoring.
He remained an unused substitute during his side's Europa League victory, but another 90 minutes came the following week during Hoffenheim's defeat to Wolfsburg, with Sessegnon again operating at left wing-back.
The 20-year-old moved to left-back as part of a back five for Hoffenheim's 3-3 draw Stuttgart after the international break and netted his side's second goal to level the scores at 2-2 early in the second half with a well-struck near-post finish, nutmegging goalkeeper Gregor Kobel just for good measure.
Hoffenheim transitioned to a back four for the reverse fixture against Slovan Liberec in the Europa League, with Sessegnon starting at left-back. He was then substituted at half time.
Means a lot to have been voted by the fans as the @tsghoffenheim Player of the Month and appreciate all the support I've been given since joining. Enjoying being a part of the team and will keep working hard to achieve our goals for this season. Vielen Dank! ?? ? #TSG pic.twitter.com/jpkFvbpaI4
— Ryan Sessegnon (@RyanSessegnon) December 2, 2020
He was back at left-back in the Hoffenheim back four for their 1-1 draw with Mainz and provided the assist for his side's equaliser.
The former Fulham man received the ball on the left-hand side of the Mainz box and played a perfectly weighted, low first-time ball into the box - straight into the path of forward Ihlas Bebou, who flicked home.
Sessegnon's performances were rewarded as he was unanimously voted the Hoffenheim Player of the Month - scooping 81% of the supporter vote - and leaving Tottenham fans plenty to get excited about ahead of his return in the summer.
Source: 90min
