Tottenham: £21.5m Antonio Conte signing 'a bit hit and miss'

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is ‘not the sort of player you normally associate’ with Antonio Conte, according to journalist Paul Brown.

Spurs brought in the 24-year-old during the January transfer window from Juventus in a deal that could cost up to £21.5 million with £15.8m owed up front and £5.7m due in potential add-ons.

Bentancur established himself as one of European football’s most promising engine room operators after making the switch from boyhood club Boca Juniors to Juve back in July 2017.

During his four-and-a-half-year stay at the Allianz Stadium, the Uruguay international racked up 181 appearances for the Old Lady, registering 21 goal contributions and claiming five major trophies along the way.

However, Bentancur fell down the pecking order following the return of manager Massimiliano Allegri in the summer and was allowed to depart the Italian giants in the winter.

Since then, the 6 foot 2 ace has made a solid start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, making seven appearances in all competitions and playing the full 90 minutes in memorable victories over both Manchester City and Everton.

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An average WhoScored rating of 6.73 for his six Premier League appearances indicates Bentancur has settled into life on English shores relatively well, but there is still room for improvement.

Poor cameo displays in disappointing defeats against Southampton and Burnley mean question marks remain over the South American, and only time will tell if he can have the desired impact over the long-term.

Following his up and down start in a Tottenham shirt, Brown has claimed Bentancur ‘seems a bit hit and