diff --git a/spacy/cli/_util.py b/spacy/cli/_util.py
index 77cf36852..e07e58503 100644
--- a/spacy/cli/_util.py
+++ b/spacy/cli/_util.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from typing import Dict, Any, Union, List, Optional, TYPE_CHECKING
 import sys
+import shutil
 from pathlib import Path
 from wasabi import msg
 import srsly
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ from thinc.config import Config, ConfigValidationError
 from configparser import InterpolationError
 
 from ..schemas import ProjectConfigSchema, validate
-from ..util import import_file
+from ..util import import_file, run_command, make_tempdir
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from pathy import Pathy  # noqa: F401
@@ -311,3 +312,24 @@ def ensure_pathy(path):
     from pathy import Pathy  # noqa: F811
 
     return Pathy(path)
+
+
+def git_sparse_checkout(repo: str, subpath: str, dest: Path):
+    if dest.exists():
+        raise IOError("Destination of checkout must not exist")
+    if not dest.parent.exists():
+        raise IOError("Parent of destination of checkout must exist")
+    # We're using Git and sparse checkout to only clone the files we need
+    with make_tempdir() as tmp_dir:
+        cmd = f"git clone {repo} {tmp_dir} --no-checkout --depth 1 --config core.sparseCheckout=true"
+        run_command(cmd)
+        with (tmp_dir / ".git" / "info" / "sparse-checkout").open("w") as f:
+            f.write(subpath)
+        run_command(["git", "-C", str(tmp_dir), "fetch"])
+        run_command(["git", "-C", str(tmp_dir), "checkout"])
+        # We need Path(name) to make sure we also support subdirectories
+        shutil.move(str(tmp_dir / Path(subpath)), str(dest))
+        print(dest)
+        print(list(dest.iterdir()))
+
+
diff --git a/spacy/cli/project/assets.py b/spacy/cli/project/assets.py
index 60cf95160..3905c0976 100644
--- a/spacy/cli/project/assets.py
+++ b/spacy/cli/project/assets.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import requests
 
 from ...util import ensure_path, working_dir
 from .._util import project_cli, Arg, PROJECT_FILE, load_project_config, get_checksum
-from .._util import download_file
+from .._util import download_file, git_sparse_checkout
 
 
 # TODO: find a solution for caches
@@ -45,14 +45,18 @@ def project_assets(project_dir: Path) -> None:
         msg.warn(f"No assets specified in {PROJECT_FILE}", exits=0)
     msg.info(f"Fetching {len(assets)} asset(s)")
     for asset in assets:
-        dest = asset["dest"]
-        url = asset.get("url")
+        dest = Path(asset["dest"])
         checksum = asset.get("checksum")
-        if not url:
-            # project.yml defines asset without URL that the user has to place
-            check_private_asset(dest, checksum)
-            continue
-        fetch_asset(project_path, url, dest, checksum)
+        if "git" in asset:
+            print(dest)
+            git_sparse_checkout(asset["git"]["repo"], asset["git"]["path"], dest)
+        else:
+            url = asset.get("url")
+            if not url:
+                # project.yml defines asset without URL that the user has to place
+                check_private_asset(dest, checksum)
+                continue
+            fetch_asset(project_path, url, dest, checksum)
 
 
 def check_private_asset(dest: Path, checksum: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
diff --git a/spacy/cli/project/clone.py b/spacy/cli/project/clone.py
index bb9ba74cb..5317c3f78 100644
--- a/spacy/cli/project/clone.py
+++ b/spacy/cli/project/clone.py
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ import shutil
 import re
 
 from ... import about
-from ...util import ensure_path, run_command, make_tempdir
+from ...util import ensure_path
 from .._util import project_cli, Arg, Opt, COMMAND, PROJECT_FILE
+from .._util import git_sparse_checkout
 
 
 @project_cli.command("clone")
@@ -39,24 +40,11 @@ def project_clone(name: str, dest: Path, *, repo: str = about.__projects__) -> N
     check_clone(name, dest, repo)
     project_dir = dest.resolve()
     repo_name = re.sub(r"(http(s?)):\/\/github.com/", "", repo)
-    # We're using Git and sparse checkout to only clone the files we need
-    with make_tempdir() as tmp_dir:
-        cmd = f"git clone {repo} {tmp_dir} --no-checkout --depth 1 --config core.sparseCheckout=true"
-        try:
-            run_command(cmd)
-        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-            err = f"Could not clone the repo '{repo}' into the temp dir '{tmp_dir}'."
-            msg.fail(err)
-        with (tmp_dir / ".git" / "info" / "sparse-checkout").open("w") as f:
-            f.write(name)
-        try:
-            run_command(["git", "-C", str(tmp_dir), "fetch"])
-            run_command(["git", "-C", str(tmp_dir), "checkout"])
-        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-            err = f"Could not clone '{name}' from repo '{repo_name}'"
-            msg.fail(err)
-        # We need Path(name) to make sure we also support subdirectories
-        shutil.move(str(tmp_dir / Path(name)), str(project_dir))
+    try:
+        git_sparse_checkout(repo, name, dest)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        err = f"Could not clone '{name}' from repo '{repo_name}'"
+        msg.fail(err)
     msg.good(f"Cloned '{name}' from {repo_name}", project_dir)
     if not (project_dir / PROJECT_FILE).exists():
         msg.warn(f"No {PROJECT_FILE} found in directory")