Oliver Skipp is ready to be a consistent starter for Tottenham

Tottenham are using the transfer market to overhaul their roster this summer, but Oliver Skipp is an internal option ready for big minutes. 

New Tottenham Director of Football Fabio Paratici is burning up the phone lines to improve Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad ahead of next season. That doesn’t mean Spurs don’t have some internal options capable of elevating their first XI. Oliver Skipp is one player who is already doing enough to catch his new manager’s eye.

The 20-year-old midfielder spent last season on loan at Norwich and was a key figure in the Canaries’ successful campaign for promotion. His steady play in the middle of the pitch caused former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho to articulate his belief that Skipp would eventually become a club captain for Spurs.

It might have been understandable for Skipp to be concerned about his standing at the club given Mourinho’s ousting in favor of Santo. His play in Wednesday’s match at Colchester silenced any doubts about the starlet’s level of focus. He only played 45 minutes as part of his recovery from injury, but he was nothing short of scintillating in his season debut.

Skipp can play a big role at Spurs right away

Skipp’s impressive shift against Colchester showed exactly what he can do for Tottenham’s senior squad next season. He has the versatility to thrive in either a two-man double-pivot or a three-man midfield. The latter seems to be the setup Santo is favoring early in his Spurs’ tenure.

In particular, Skipp’s ability to carry the ball forward with confidence seems to have improved after his loan spell in the Championship. That gives him a chance to become a perfect right-sided midfield option in a 4-3-3 formation. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will almost certainly operate in the base of that midfield group, but he needs a player like Skipp on the right-hand side who can do more than simply shield the back four.

None of that means Skipp is ready to become the classic No. 10 Spurs have been missing since Christian Eriksen’s departure, but it does mean he’s ready to play serious senior minutes this year. He’ll never be a flashy attacking presence in the Premier League, but he now possesses more attacking impetus than he did as a youth player.

Add it all up and it’s clear Skipp is in line for big minutes under Santo if he can stay healthy. He may not start the year in Spurs’ starting XI, but no Tottenham supporter should be surprised or disappointed if he finds his way into the mix before December arrives. Mourinho wasn’t right about many things during his Spurs’ tenure but he called Skipp’s future perfectly.