---
title: "Tottenham: Antonio Conte confirms Oliver Skipp absence for Southampton opener"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-antonio-conte-oliver-skipp-absence-yves-bissouma-injury-news-updates/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Clubbe"
section: "Premier League News"
published: "2022-08-06T06:15:20Z"
modified: "2022-08-06T06:15:20Z"
---

# Tottenham: Antonio Conte confirms Oliver Skipp absence for Southampton opener

**[Tottenham Hotspur](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/) manager Antonio Conte has confirmed his team news before the Premier League opener against Southampton as Oliver Skipp will ‘definitely’ miss out.**

### The lowdown: Injury-plagued

Unfortunately, Skipp sat out much of the 2021/22 campaign due to a groin injury which saw the academy graduate miss [20 matches](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/oliver-skipp/verletzungen/spieler/406638) all told.

The 22-year-old England youth international had previously established himself as a mainstay in the senior squad, amassing [51 outings](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/oliver-skipp/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/406638) for Spurs following a successful season-long loan spell at Norwich City.

[Tottenham latest developments!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/)

Now, as the Lilywhites kick off their 2022/23 season by welcoming Southampton to N17, Skipp is certain to miss the curtain raiser in north London due to a freak [heel injury](https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/players/oliver-skipp-injury-yves-bissouma-24657337)…

### The latest: ‘Definitely’

Speaking to the assembled media ahead of the match (via [football.london](https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/fixtures-results/tottenham-conte-udogie-skipp-live-24668827)), Conte told the press that the [14-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/oliver-skipp/nationalmannschaft/spieler/406638/verein_id/9565) England Under 21 starlet will be absent for the opener whilst there are doubts elsewhere in the squad.

He said: “At the moment we only have one player who will definitely miss Southampton and that is Skipp. Bissouma, another day \[before the game\] still, nothing serious, but I don’t want to take a risk with anyone for the next games.”

### The verdict: Shame

Having endured a difficult campaign last year, Skipp – who was dubbed the [‘perfect’](https://lastwordonsports.com/football/2021/03/04/daniel-farke-praises-oliver-skipp/) player by former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke – would’ve been among those most relishing the opportunity for a clean slate this time around.

Instead, it’s going to be another brief wait for the [£16.2million valued](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/oliver-skipp/marktwertverlauf/spieler/406638) uncompromising Englishman as the medical staff attempt to get the entire squad in full working order ahead of what is going to be a chaotic season, punctuated by a World Cup and the return of UEFA Champions League football to north London.

Before then, in the confirmed absence of Skipp, and indeed potentially Bissouma, Conte is likely to [turn](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tottenham-hotspur/kader/verein/148) to Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and perhaps even Harry Winks to front up the engine room of the Tottenham starting XI.