Spurs‘ new manager Nuno Espirito Santo has made a name for himself during his time in the Premier League for how effectively and consistently his players develop while he is in charge.
That is one of the key reasons he was hired according to Fabio Paratici, but there are also plenty of players at the club who could have their careers revived by the former goalkeeper-turned-coach.
✍️ Welcome to Tottenham Hotspur, Nuno Espírito Santo.#WelcomeNuno
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 30, 2021
We have selected three players who we thing will benefit the most from Nuno’s appointment, whether they be a young talent waiting to be developed or an experienced pro in need of revitalising.
Matt Doherty
Matt Doherty under Nuno Santo in the Premier League:
✅ 75 apps
⚽️ 8 goals
🔄 11 assistsNuno on Matt in 2019: "Doherty is fantastic. He has a big heart. He goes up and down, he doesn't rest. He has a tough job and he keeps on running. We are very very happy with him." pic.twitter.com/wbhQ6olp1P
— The Spurs Web (@thespursweb) June 30, 2021
Starting off with the obvious, Irish right wing-back Matt Doherty has struggled since moving from Wolves last season, where he shone while playing under Nuno.
The arrival of the Portuguese coach could prove to be a big jump-start for the 29-year-old, and should he be deployed in the same fashion he was at the Midlands club, he could become an effective weapon for Spurs.
Despite his struggles in the Premier League, Doherty was named in the Europa League team of the tournament this year, thanks to his hard-working performances in which he also assisted twice over the course of last season.
Oliver Skipp
Good move would’ve liked to see him maybe at like Southampton or Brighton but he’ll get consistent minutes that’s for sure.
Also means Oliver Skipp will stay at Spurs so hopefully he’ll get minutes next season under whoever Spurs eventually bring in https://t.co/ejocbJlVOc
— Gabriel (@mufcgabriel) June 29, 2021
Young midfielder Oliver Skipp was a revelation at Norwich City last season, where he spent the year on loan to boost his development.
The spell was incredibly successful, and Skipp now looks capable of playing Premier League football week in week out, and with Nuno as boss, he could be trusted in the first team at Spurs as opposed to another loan out.
The tenacious midfielder draws a lot of comparisons to his Danish teammate Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but his play is far from one-dimensional as he also has the ability to ghost past players with tricky dribbling and excellent use of his body.
Giovani Lo Celso
Giovani Lo Celso scores his first @ChampionsLeague goal on his first #thfc start. pic.twitter.com/MPRjlTW5Qg
— Hotspur Related (@HotspurRelated) November 6, 2019
Argentine midfielder Giovani Lo Celso is an enigma that so far, both Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino have failed to crack during their time at the club.
His skills and ability aren’t up for debate, it’s just the consistency and chance creation that he needs to work on – but just like Nuno did for the likes of Adama Traore at Wolves, the Portuguese coach can help iron out those issues and carve out a playmaker out of the former Real Betis star.
Lo Celso is an excellent ball carrier, and his work ethic is also very impressive – but his biggest issue on the ball is his decision making, as he often, just like Moussa Sissoko, gets into the final third and seems like he doesn’t know what to do with it.