‘Didn’t see it’ – Pundit admits he was wrong about ‘irreplaceable’ Spurs star

Jamie Redknapp has admitted that he did not think Pape Matar Sarr had it in him to break into the Tottenham team at the start of the season, adding that the youngster has now become irreplaceable for Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Sarr found game time hard to come by under Antonio Conte last season. Even when the 21-year-old came into the starting eleven and impressed against AC Milan in the Champions League, he went back to being a bench warmer when everyone was fit, with the Italian seemingly not trusting him.

However, Postecoglou has done just the opposite, showing enormous faith in the midfielder from day one and the Senegalese international is repaying them, having been one of Tottenham’s most consistent performers this season.

Pape Matar Sarr has been a revelation this season at Spurs

While Spurs delivered a disappointing performance at Craven Cottage on Saturday, with several of their key players having off nights, Sarr was one of the few who could hold his head up high after the game, delivering a typically industrious and composed display.

Redknapp told Sky Sports about the midfielder (16/03/24): “I must say he’s been a revelation but I didn’t see it. Last year there were times under Antonio Conte where we were getting sub, sub, sub which can always be a little bit humiliating and you don’t know how a player will react to that. 

“But there was a lot of talk in the summer about him having a good pre-season and I love hearing that about a player, that they’re fit, strong, ready to embrace the challenge.

“When I looked at that midfield at the start once everyone’s fit I thought it will be Bissouma, Maddison and Bentancur because I’m a big fan of Bentancur. But he [Sarr] has become irreplaceable with his performances. The cross last week was one of the best you’ve seen in years. He’s full of confidence and it’s showing.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Some Tottenham fans have seemingly forgotten just how young the current team is, with a whole host of players in their first Premier League season and the likes of Sarr, Udogie, Van de Ven, Johnson others being nowhere near their ceiling just yet.

There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic for the future, not least the fact that Sarr, Udogie and Van de Ven are on their way to becoming world-class players if they are not there already.

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