Tottenham: Conte 'big fan' of 'highly-rated' academy product at Hotspur Way

Tottenham star Oliver Skipp could get his chance to impress after the international break, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The midfielder hasn’t played a minute this season since recovering from a foot injury, but Brown reckons his game-time will increase when the busy schedule ramps up next month.

The 22-year-old missed the final four months of last term with a pelvic injury before a foot problem kept him out of the first four Premier League games this season.

But Skipp, described as ‘highly-rated‘ by Daniel Farke, returned to the squad for the draw at West Ham last month, providing Antonio Conte with another option in midfield.

However, the Italian has so far preferred Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as his two regular starters, with summer signing Yves Bissouma next in the pecking order.

That could soon change, though, with Spurs playing 13 games in just over 40 days, starting with the north London derby at Arsenal on Saturday week, which could force Conte to utilise his squad.

Asked whether he thinks his chances will improve next month, he told GIVEMESPORT: “I do, yeah. Conte is a big fan of Skipp; he’s played him a lot since he’s been there.

“He likes his drive, energy, and determination. I think he’s a player who does exactly what he’s told and fits the system quite well, because Conte knows he can rely on him.”

Despite the hectic schedule coming up before the World Cup in November, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when Skipp could get his first slice of action.

A surprise outing off the bench aisde, the £80,000 per-week star is unlikely to feature at Arsenal, while being thrown into the mix for the Champions League double header with Eintracht Frankfurt would also be seen as a surprise.

But after