Following Tottenham Hotspur’s essential 3-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday, a consequence which offered Spurs’ hopes of securing a top-four end this season with a major enhance, Antonio Conte introduced up one thing of a shock identify in his post-match press convention.
Certainly, when Alasdair Gold requested the 52-year-old for an evaluation of Son Heung-min’s show towards the Hammers, the Italian initially responded with gushing reward for the South Korean worldwide, earlier than turning the dialog in the direction of Tottenham’s 17-year-old Dane Scarlett.
Relating to the younger centre-forward, Conte mentioned: “I’m seeing lots of enchancment in Scarlett, actually, I’ve to let you know. Seeing that this man is bettering rather a lot, he’s solely 17-years-old however I can let you know that he’s a extremely necessary prospect for Tottenham.
“He must be affected person and work behind these crucial gamers and proceed to work on this method as a result of about Scarlett, I can let you know that I see an excellent future for him.”
Would you wish to see Scarlett given a begin within the league?
Sure
Not but
No
Conte’s subsequent Esposito
Whereas he has develop into one thing of an everyday in Conte’s first group in latest months – that includes in ten of Spurs’ final 11 Premier League matchday squads – Scarlett is but to totally make his mark within the high flight, taking part in a grand whole of simply three minutes within the league to this point this season.
Nevertheless, the 17-year-old can take coronary heart from the truth that, throughout his time at Inter Milan, the 52-year-old beforehand positioned his belief in one of many Nerazzurri’s most enjoyable younger abilities – within the form of Sebastiano Esposito.
Certainly, after handing the centre-forward – who Soccer Expertise Scout, Jacek Kulig, dubbed a “killer” – each his Serie A and Champions League debuts on the age of 17, the £5.4m-rated teen went on to make a complete of 14 first-team appearances underneath Conte – with now-19-year-old praising the Italian for the function he performed in his growth.
Talking in regards to the Spurs boss, Esposito mentioned: “I’ve to say that Conte additionally had an enormous affect on my mentality. An outstanding coach. If the years within the Inter first group have been unforgettable, it was due to him.”
As such, contemplating Conte’s clear fondness of Scarlett, it will very a lot seem as if the 17-year-old – who Jose Mourinho additionally labelled an “immense expertise” – may very properly develop into the Italian’s subsequent Esposito at Spurs – one thing which is undoubtedly a particularly thrilling thought for everybody concerned with the membership.
AND in different information: Offered at £1.98m, now value £101m: Levy had a THFC shocker on “formidable” £132k-p/w ace
