Italian goalkeeper Marco Silvestri has praised a "great talent" at Tottenham, and he suggests the youngster is just destined for the top.
Spurs surprise everybody with Premier League form
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has been a rip-roaring success since joining the club from Celtic in June, guiding them to top of the Premier League table at one point. Before their recent injury and suspension crisis, the north Londoners went on a very impressive 10-game unbeaten run, winning eight of them, with Postecoglou making the best start ever by a new boss in the division's history.
All eyes are now on how they'll fare without key duo James Maddison and Micky van de Ven, who are both expected to be out until 2024. Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie are also out through suspension, dealing an almighty task for Postecoglou to get the very best out of Spurs with limited quality over the next few games.
The Lilywhites take on Aston Villa in four days, a tough encounter given the form of Unai Emery's side, while they couldn't ask for a more intimidating contest afterwards as league champions Man City await them at the Etihad.
The importance of Udogie
Missing Udogie is a real blow for Spurs alongside the other aforementioned stars, as his pace and dynamism down the left-hand side has proven to a major asset. Before his suspension, the Italy international had started 10 league matches, providing two assists whilst proving to be one of the success stories of Postecoglou's early tenure.
“Udogie, I’m really staggered by how good he’s been," said The Athletic journalist James Maw in September ( View From The Lane as transcribed by TBR).
"To me, this is going to sound mad after four games, but he already looks like one of the better players in the Premier League.
“For a player in that position, we’ve seen Gareth Bale and this is a slightly lazy comparison given it’s based entirely on position, but we’ve seen a left-back go on to be one of the best footballers in world football over the course of like a five, six-year period. He will be a £100m player like that. Udogie, incredibly good, he’s only going to get better.”
Silvestri tips Udogie for the top
The 20-year-old youngster, upon his return, could even contend for the PFA Team of the Year if he carries on this sumptuous form. Silvestri, a former teammate of his at Udinese, explained exactly why that may be the case in an interview with Tribal Football this week. The 32-year-old goalkeeper heaped praise on Udogie and insists he's a "great talent".
Likes to dribble
Likes to play short passes
Likes to tackle
"I saw Udo make his debut when we played together in Verona. I have always considered him a great talent and a hard worker, in 4 years I have never heard him complain. I was convinced he would do very well straight away in the Premier League because he has all the characteristics but I believe he can continue to grow and become a top, top player."