Tottenham: 5 things Antonio Conte has learned during preseason

4. Lucas Moura still has a role to play

Moura will always have a special place in the hearts of Spurs fans due to his Champions League heroics. That doesn’t change the fact that many fans believed his career in Tottenham was in serious jeopardy after the club’s decision to spend big money on Richarlison this summer.

Instead of sinking down the attacking depth chart, Lucas has opted to adapt to increase his value in Conte’s eyes. His move to the right wing-back spot during preseason makes it much more likely that he will enjoy another season playing for Tottenham.

The question is whether or not Lucas can really carve out meaningful time as a new fullback despite the intense competition at right wing back. Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal both return as imperfect solutions for Conte. Djed Spence was signed to give a big boost to the club’s present and future options. Moura will need to beat out two of the three if he wants to secure significant match time.

At this point, it would be foolish to bet against Moura’s ability to survive. He may well toggle between playing wing back and winger for Conte depending on injuries and the form of several of his teammates. He shouldn’t be anywhere near the starting XI in big matches but he can be a valuable squad member for Conte this season.