Tottenham Hotspur midfielder John Bostock ends training stint with San Jose Earthquakes without loan deal

The San Jose Earthquakes and Tottenham Hotspur partnership has been put a hold for the time being, at least as is applies to player movement. On Monday, a source with the Quakes confirmed that the club would not be pursuing a loan deal with midfielder John Bostock ahead of the start of the 2013 MLS regular season.

The 21-year old former England youth player arrived in San Jose for a two-week training stint that ended at the conclusion of the Portland Preseason Tournament last Saturday. With fellow Spurs product Simon Dawkins having been loaned to EPL side Aston Villa after two successful seasons in MLS, the Earthquakes wanted to get a good look at Bostock to see if he could be an able replacement.

According to the team source, the Quakes technical staff were concerned that Bostock would not be able to contribute in the midfield as hoped, and he left the team on Sunday. Reports surfaced earlier on Monday that the Englishman would take on a trial with another MLS side, Toronto FC, but that rumor has yet to be substantiated.

Bostock appeared in four preseason games for the Earthquakes during his fortnight stay, three as a starter, and played primarily as a left winger. Since news that Dawkins would not be returning to San Jose was announced, head coach Frank Yallop and general manager John Doyle have been following "Plan B" to fill his empty shoes. With Bostock out of the picture, the search continues for another able wing replacement.

Since the season begins in less than a week, the Earthquakes have little time to assess a new round of applicants for the position, and on opening night will likely be forced to go with players already on the roster. With speedster Marvin Chavez out with a leg injury, coach Yallop is likely to draw on Shea Salinas and Ramiro Corrales to start the team's season opener this Sunday against Real Salt Lake. Second-year midfielder Sam Garza provides another option to Yallop, but he is more likely to see time as a substitute.

In acknowledging the report that Bostock would not make an immediate move to San Jose, the team source did suggest that another midfielder was possibly in line to join the Earthquakes on loan. Specific information is expected to be announced later this week, but the player in question is a proven International player with plenty of experience with his country's national team.