Opinion: Tottenham may have found a new cult hero in the electric Sergio Reguilon

When Tottenham Hotspur completed the double signing of Real Madrid duo Gareth Bale and Sergio Reguilon, many cast their eye towards the sensational return of the Welshman rather than their new Spanish recruit.

Rafael van der Vaart, who coincidentally also came from Madrid, stole the heart of every fan upon his arrival in 2010. This was due to his never-ending energy, his genuine hatred for Arsenal, the great chant to the tune of Give It Up, and the fact that he was just a fantastic footballer. He only stayed for two seasons, but all of this meant his cult-hero status was engraved into the soul of N17.

This could be way off the mark, but it appears Reguilon is heading in that very same direction. First of all, he has proven in his 11 matches so far that he a genuinely great left-back (transfermarkt).

But, in his debut against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, one of the first things he did in a Spurs shirt was a mistake that resulted in a goal.

He got caught sleeping, and the ball was nicked off him by Cesar Azpilicueta. The ball then worked its way to the right-hand side and the Chelsea defender got the better of him again, skipping past the new left-back, who was too eager to make up for his mistake. It eventually then fell to Timo Werner who made it 1-0.

Even at this low moment, you almost admired him. The mistake comes from his pure eagerness, excitement, and pure determination to do the right thing. In that game, he eventually assisted Erik Lamela for the equaliser.

Since this, the left-back has been a bundle of joy. He has that positive cheeky energy radiating off him – the nutmegs, the constant smile, and the rocket fuel he provides down that left-hand side. You can tell he loves playing football, and the energy he gives on and off the pitch is infectious.

However, in recent games against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal, it is clear that Mourinho has tasked him to settle down and stay compact in an attempt to keep the low block’s shape secure. He has done this excellently, showing a new-found maturity to his game.

Only on the rare occasion in these games was he was given license to cause havoc when the situation was right on the counterattack. Reguilon has shown his excellent crossing ability in advanced positions; already putting three assists to his name.

So, all of his ability, mixed with his brilliant vibrant personality, means that the Spaniard has the makings to become a real fan favourite at Tottenham. However, his buy-back clause of £45 million (talkSPORT) continues to lurk in the shadows and this clause being activated within the next two years would be the only thing that will halt this growing love.

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