Few coaches in world football know how to get their own way quite like Antonio Conte. The Italian rode into town and quickly developed a persona that was hard to dislike. He was aggressive, he called out other teams, and he defended Tottenham with the passion of a lifelong fan. For fans, too, he earned respect for being quick to call out the club ownership and the board for not being ambitious enough. In short, he was able to command respect – and with a top four berth secured, he got results to match.
This explains, then, why Spurs just signed a 33-year-old to a bumper two-year deal. Under previous coaches this simply would not have happened. Under the watchful eye of Conte, though, a key part of Inter project now arrives in London. Perisic, a top-class performer for many years and one of the stars of Croatia’s 2018 World Cup run, arrives to add depth and quality to the left wing-back slot.
Having just come off arguably the best year of his career, too, Perisic offers Conte and Spurs a player in incredible form. His cup-winning brace for Inter in the Coppa Italia will go down in history as a key moment in the recent history of the Nerazzurri. His fitness and his ability to stay consistent has been one of the main reasons that Perisic remains a reliable presence internationally for Croatia into his mid-30s.
Perisic leaves emotional message to Inter fans
Another thing to like about Perisic is that, aside from his immense versatility and quality on and off the ball, he is a committed player. In a message to his old fans at Inter, Perisic noted via social media: “After 254 games, 55 goals, 49 assists, 3 trophies and 18,934 minutes spent on the pitch wearing this glorious jersey; my journey here has come to an end … To the team, the staff, to all the employees but most importantly to the fans: you will always have a special place in my heart.”
This signing is believed to be the start of a squad rebuild under Conte. Keen to add a bit of extra grit and energy to the team in key areas, Perisic adds just that. Interestingly, the Italian more or less ditched the winger in his first full season – sending him out on loan to FC Bayern. But he returned to Inter, knuckled down, and made the left wing-back slot his own entirely.
After Conte left, Perisic continued his best football and was arguably the best player in an Inter team who nearly won a domestic treble. For that reason, it is interesting to see Conte has admitted his mistake in the first place. Perisic won him over with his performances and his attitude off the pitch. Now, he is seen as one of the most trusted lieutenants of the Conte regime.
A key signing for Spurs, this could be the start of a highly exciting transfer window for the club. After so many years of confusion, it looks like Spurs have a clear plan under a coach who knows exactly what he wants.
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