Journalist claims Spurs youngster Mourinho ‘really likes’ has been ‘bulking up’

Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has revealed that Jose Mourinho has a lot of admiration for Olivier Skipp’s talent and sees him as a potential defensive midfield option in the future.

Skipp, who caught the eye at academy level under Mauricio Pochettino’s reign has been in and around the Tottenham first-team for the last couple of seasons.

The midfielder managed to get a few games under his belt before the suspension of the league back in March and was even singled out for praise by Mourinho for his display in the FA Cup tie against Norwich (The Sun).

Tottenham have been linked with a number of defensive midfielders over the past couple of months including the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Football.London) and Gerson (Goal) but Gold believes Skipp could be used in the role if he can improve the defensive side of his game.

He also claimed that the teenager had been bulking up during the lockdown in order to be able to deal with the physical demands of the position.

When asked in a Q and A about Skipp potentially breaking into the team next season, Gold said: “Mourinho really likes Skipp. He’s been working on the defensive side of Winks’ game and he’ll be doing the same with Skipp.

“I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of Skipp in recent years in academy games and he’s a real all-round player with great technical ability.

“He looks like he’s been bulking up during the lockdown and that physical edge will help him battle for that DM spot which is up for grabs.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I believe Skipp has all the attributes to be a top defensive midfielder, particularly considering how the position has evolved off late. Most top teams do not just have a ball winner playing as their deepest midfielder but also someone who can kickstart attacks from deep. Skipp has the technical attributes to shine in that role but he might have to be patient for another season before getting a consistent run in the side.

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