Report: Antonio Conte hopes Tottenham talent will come back sharper from international duty, he hasn’t started since January

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte is hoping Oliver Skipp will come back sharper from international duty, according to the Athletic. 

Skipp has not started a game under Conte since January due to being ruled out for the remainder of the last campaign from February.

The 22-year-old was apparently in the top two fittest players in the entire Spurs squad during pre-season.

But Skipp suffered another setback as he was sidelined for the beginning of the current season with a foot injury. 

Conte said the youngster has been ‘unlucky’ but he has been named amongst the substitutes for Spurs’ last three Premier League games.

And his boss is hoping he can return to match fitness while playing for England’s U21 side during the international break.

Conte hopes Skipp will come back sharper

The Athletic reports that Conte is hoping Skipp will be sharpened up by game time for England’s youth side after coming back from injury. 

The Spurs academy product is yet to play a single minute during the current season after a ‘freak’ injury in pre-season training.

Skipp was a mainstay in Tottenham’s side last season before he was sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.

The English midfielder often started alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg under Conte but has fallen down the pecking order this season.

Since his last start, Tottenham have brought in other central midfielders such as Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma. 

Skipp will be hoping to force his way back into Conte’s side and getting some much-needed gametime for England’s U21 could help his cause.

The midfielder enjoyed a brilliant spell on loan at Norwich City before returning to the club last summer.
Conte recently described Skipp as an ‘important’ player in his side and with a packed schedule coming up in October, the youngster could get his opportunity in the coming weeks.