Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho doesn't think Troy Parrott is ready to fill the boots of the injured Harry Kane.
Mourinho fears the worst over the hamstring injury Kane sustained in the New Year's Day defeat at Southampton.
The Spurs boss said: "I don't think we're going to have good news. I think we're going to lose him for some period, I'm totally convinced of that."
"Maybe later we have news. My feeling is that it's more bad news than good news. What the player felt, Kane leaving a match the way he did it. He didn't think twice, took him two seconds to realise the severity of the situation."
Mourinho added that Kane is "irreplaceable" and says he is "not thinking about the [transfer] market".
Irish fans were hoping that Parrott would be given more game time and although Mourinho said it is “possible” for the 17-year-old to feature in the FA Cup third-round tie at Middlesbrough, he also went on to say that it is "too soon" for Parrott to step into Kane's boots.
"Next step is for him is to sign a new contract in the long-term because at this club we care about our young players. He could play against Middlesbrough.
"At age of 17, I don't think it's good to go on loan to the Championship or another country."
"At 17 you are a baby, and need to be with your father club. Minutes will arrive but step by step, not in a situation where you are straight away the replacement for Kane."
It is not the first time that Spurs have had to cope without Kane, who missed a lot of the second half of last season with two separate ankle injuries.
It meant Son Heung-min was deployed in a more central role and the South Korean returns from a three-game ban this weekend.
