Spurs: Eric Dier has been an unsung hero

Tottenham Hotspur lead the Premier League after matchday one.

It could be very early days however the north Londoners are definitely having fun with a renaissance below the ruthless stewardship of Antonio Conte, who final clinched the Premier League title with Chelsea again in 2017.

That’s who Spurs might be dealing with on the weekend and arguably, for the primary time in a very long time, they’re the favourites to return out on prime.

After two seasons exterior of the highest 4, the Lilywhites lastly earned their place again within the Champions League, because of the Italian head coach turning issues round following his arrival again in November final yr.

They pipped arch-rivals Arsenal to a fourth-place end.

Loads of that success has come right down to their assault, with Harry Kane again among the many targets and winter signing Dejan Kulusevski proving to be a game-changer in assault, providing more assists than anybody else within the English top-flight since February.

“Kulusevski, I believe, watch him. I believe he’s De Bruyne-esque when you like, and he’s 22 years previous,” claimed Graeme Souness to talkSPORT (by way of the Evening Standard).

But it surely’s one other considered one of Spurs’ stars who scored within the 4-1 mauling of Southampton on the opening day that has been one thing of an unsung hero below Conte.

Eric Dier.

At one level, the Englishman’s future on the membership seemed in grave hazard. That was largely right down to him not discovering a cushty place in an everyday position, having typically been deployed as a defensive midfielder in his early days by Mauricio Pochettino.

The perfect instance of his full and utter transformation is seen by Tottenham’s defensive numbers.

Throughout the 2020/21 marketing campaign, Dier made 28 league appearances, by which he was a part of the successful facet 12 occasions however solely stored eight clear sheets. In the meantime, final season, the 6 foot 2 colossus was a part of 16 clear sheets throughout 35 appearances, successful 21 matches.

13 of these had been below Conte.

Fee Eric Dier’s time at Spurs out of 10…

“He’s working very onerous and on this second he’s among the best defenders within the league,” Conte claimed again in March. “He has additionally massive house to enhance his efficiency and his high quality and to turn into a stronger and stronger participant.”

Dier price Spurs simply £4m from Spoting Lisbon again in 2014 and now, over eight years on, he’s valued at £25.2m by Transfermarkt, which is a rise of 530%, that means Spurs, and chairman Daniel Levy, have definitely struck gold together with his switch.

The £92k-per-week titan’s constant type has been nothing in need of distinctive and he’s lastly residing as much as Harry Kane’s tag of being “the beast,” as claimed again in 2016.

AND in different information, Spurs “exploring” swoop for £50m “scary expertise”, might be Conte’s subsequent Fabregas…