Antonio Conte has backed Oliver Skipp to prove “very important” for the present and future of Tottenham following his new contract.
The 21-year-old midfielder initially made his debut under Mauricio Pochettino in October 2018. From there, he made his Premier League debut and 12 appearances overall as Spurs reached the Champions League final.
Skipp played a further 11 times under Jose Mourinho in 2019/20. He also started Nuno Espirito Santo’s first league game in charge – the 1-0 win over Manchester City last August.
And this season, he has continued to play a vital role in the team – when he has not been hampered by injury.
As a result of his recent rise, Skipp signed a new contract earlier this week. His new terms run until 2027 and current boss Conte has labelled him a star of the present and the future.
What’s more, he claimed three other young players have a bright future in north London.
The Italian told a press conference: “I’m very happy for Skippy because we’re talking about a good player, a young player, a player from the academy and you know very well the importance of this club of developing players from the academy.
“In this squad we have [Japhet] Tanganga, [Dane] Scarlett, Harvey [White] is also improving a lot.
“I’m very happy for [Skipp] because he’s not only a good player, we are talking about a fantastic guy.
“Unfortunately he’s had that problem and he’s having a bit of problem with his injury because in this moment he’s not available.
“I know his frustration. I think this new contract shows him that we trust him a lot. He’ll be very important for the present and for the future of Tottenham. I’m delighted for him.”
Skipp has managed 18 Premier League appearances this term but none since mid-January against Chelsea.
Skipp and three others thriving at Tottenham
Conte’s mention of midfielder White caught the eye, since the 20-year-old has yet to play for the coach.
Nevertheless, he has made the bench 16…