Jose Mourinho blown away by 5ft 9in Spurs prodigy who Mauricio Pochettino also rates highly

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has praised Oliver Skipp after the Spurs academy graduate penned a new four-year contract with the North Londoners.

The 19-year-old midfielder is one of the Tottenham academy’s brightest prospects and made his first starts under Mourinho in the March games against Burnley and Norwich.

Although Skipp hasn’t quite made the first-team breakthrough this season, having to make do with spots on the bench, he is deemed a superb prospect for the future of the club.

Mourinho said as much after the 5ft 9in prodigy committed his future to Spurs, describing him at his pre-Leicester press-conference (Football London) as future captain material.

The Portuguese also revealed how Skipp is eager to go out on loan to pick up first-team experience, something he agreed would be good for his evolution.

“I’m really happy,” said Mourinho. “Everybody in the club is, his teammates are, I am and Skippy is or not he wouldn’t sign the contract.

“I think he’s genuinely Tottenham’s future. He’s one of these players by human quality, by personality, he is one of these kids that I have no doubt he will be an important player for Tottenham. Sometimes coaches are selfish and I told him that.

“I never told him I want him to go on loan, I always told him I wanted him to stay here, because that’s the selfish perspective of a coach who wants the best possible squad. In his mind he wants to go on loan, six months, the whole season.

“He feels that he needs that, I also feel that would be good for his evolution, so maybe that is the direction we go. I think he can be more than a player, he can be a future captain here. Hugo, Harry. I see this kid being one day a future captain here by his character, by his personality. I feel really happy that he signed.”

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Skipp is undoubtedly a talented, hard-working player, and Mourinho – a manager well known for his high standards – being such a big fan and tipping him for a big future is testament to the midfielder’s credentials.

Indeed, Mauricio Pochettino has also been very complimentary of Skipp – in December 2018, the Argentine told the Spurs website: “He’s a proper midfielder, a very talented midfielder.

“He links the game well, always looking forward, very aggressive, his energy is amazing and he’s such a clever guy off the pitch as well as on it, that’s so important for the team. He’s a top player and a top kid and I’m sure he will have a very successful career.”