Antonio Conte has raved about Steven Bergwijn’s qualities and insisted the Dutchman would have been handed minutes if not for his injuries.
Bergwijn has not had a single minute of action since Conte’s appointment a month ago. The Dutchman was unavailable for Tottenham’s Europa Conference League clash against NS Mura last week due to injury.
Reports over recent days have indicated that the former PSV Eindhoven man is not in Conte’s plans and Tottenham would be open to cashing in on him in January.
However, the Spurs boss insisted in his press conference on Wednesday that he sees Bergwijn as a part of his plans and revealed the 24-year-old is fit and available for the Brentford clash.
When asked about the Netherlands international, Conte told Football.London: “We’re talking about a player that has important skills and it was a pity for me – but not the national team, because he scored in qualifying for Holland.
“Because I would have liked to have him during the two weeks on the international break to work with him and know him much better, but for sure he has great quality.
“He’s good one v one, he’s fast, he has quality, he can beat a man and also score. Now we’re working. Now also he’s understanding what I want from him and for me, he’s one of the strikers who can play in all three positions of the strikers.
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“Surely he’s a player that I have to make an important evaluation of. But he’s in my squad and I count on him for sure. Tomorrow’s he’s ready and available.
“Mura he had a problem, otherwise, he would have played, but tomorrow’s he’s ready and available and I count on him.”
Conte also provided an injury update on Giovani Lo Celso, revealing that the midfielder’s injury is not as serious as his compatriot, Cristian Romero and that he will be back in training this week.
When asked about Lo Celso’s injury, the 53-year-old said: “Giovani Lo Celso, like Cristian Romero, they were injured with the national team. For sure it was a pity but Giovani’s situation is much, much better than Romero.
“My expectation is to see him the day after we play against Brentford. He’s started to work, to work on the pitch.
“For sure Giovani is another player we need to try to exploit, to exploit him. He’s a good player and now I want to work with him.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Bergwijn strikes me as a Conte-kind of player because of his attacking versatility, directness and his work rate off the ball. I see the Dutchman getting plenty of minutes under his belt over the busy Christmas period. It is up to the 24-year-old to grab his opportunities and stake a claim for a place in the starting eleven.
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