Chris Gunter won the Football League's Apprentice of the Year in 2007
Defender Chris Gunter has told Harry Redknapp he will go out on loan if the Tottenham Hotspur manager feels it would benefit his career development.
The 19-year-old Wales full-back was linked with a loan move away from White Hart Lane in January to Championship play-off contenders Preston North End.
"I'm not sure how close I was to going on loan," admitted Gunter.
"But if the manager thinks it would be best for my development to go on loan and play, then I'll do it."
Gunter joined Premier League Spurs for an estimated £3m in January 2008 from Championship club Cardiff City, where he graduated through the Ninian Park youth academy.
He is already an established Welsh international and is set to win his 12th cap when John Toshack's team play Finland in a World Cup qualifier at the Millennium Stadium on 28 March.
Gunter is one of a host of promising youngsters in Toshack's squad along with West Ham United's midfielder Jack Collison, former flat-mate and Arsenal playmaker Aaron Ramsey, Manchester City striker Ched Evans and Spurs team-mate Gareth Bale.
But the Newport-born player has only played a bit-part role for Tottenham, as Gunter is one of four top-class right-backs that include Pascal Chimbonda, Alan Hutton and Vedran Corluka.
Gunter impressed in Tottenham's draw at Chelsea and has played for Redknapp in Spurs' Uefa Cup run but now the club are out of Europe he could be sent out on loan.
Redknapp was considering loaning out Gunter in January and the player admits: "I do what I'm told!
"The amount of quality right-backs we have at Spurs is a good thing because I can only learn from them.
"I've been involved in some good games for Spurs as well as for Wales and I'm still very young so I just want to keep progressing and learning."
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