Tottenham: Oliver Skipp HotspurHQ Young Player of the Season

Skipp is still one for the future at Tottenham

While there was no question Skipp had gained Nuno’s trust when serial-winner Antonio Conte replaced the Portuguese manager, Tottenham fans harboured concerns this could bring an end to the midfielder’s run in the side.

Traditionally, Conte has favoured experience over youth, and whilst there’s no doubt he’s a world-class manager, developing young players isn’t his forte. However, Conte has been vocal in his praise for Skipp and stated his frustrations at being unable to utilise the midfielder for the run-in at N17.

This is reinforced with Conte’s team selections when before Skipp’s injury, picking the Englishman 10 of the 12 games he was available, helping the formation of a stern partnership with fellow midfielder Pierre-Emile Hoijberg.

With the January signing of Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus,  there is no guarantee Skipp will return as a starter next season. The partnership of Bentancur and Hoijberg has served Spurs well since February, with both players playing a significant role in Tottenham achieving a top-four finish.

Having said that, with Premier League, Champions League, and cup football on offer at Tottenham next season, there will be plenty of minutes to go around, and there’s no doubt if Skipp remains injury-free, he will surely feature heavily.

At just 21, Skipp is still at the early stages of a so-far promising career, and despite being sidelined for a large chunk of the season, the club’s hierarchy recognise his potential, tying the midfielder to a new five year deal in April, which keeps him at the club until 2027.

Skipp is back in training, and he will likely return for a full pre-season which should set him up nicely for the upcoming campaign, with fans eager to see his development furthered in 2022/23.

If he can rediscover his early-season form, his work rate and ability would soon make him a favourite of Conte’s, with him already winning the hearts of Spurs fans by being one of our own. Whilst his season was cut short his hard work throughout the start of Spurs campaign earned him HotspurHQ’s Young Player of the Season award.