Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has revealed a possible inclusion for winger Bryan Gil in tonight’s Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Lowdown: Lack of game time
Having joined Spurs on a permanent deal last summer, the Spaniard was sent out on loan to Valencia for the second half of last season, where he made 13 appearances in La Liga.
The 21-year-old was seemingly set to return to Spain again this season, but a deal fell through at the last minute.
Consequently, stuck at Hotspur Way, the winger is yet to play a single minute of football for Tottenham thus far this season.
The Latest: Conte’s news
Ahead of Spurs’ Champions League clash against Frankfurt, Conte took to his press conference to give his assessment of Gil, revealing he may play a part in the fixture.
As quoted by football.london, the Italian admitted:
“Still in the squad, Bryan Gil. Tomorrow he is the first option for our attack. Kulusevski is out. Moura is out. Moura will be out for a long time. It was the same for Kulusevski. We are talking about a young player a good prospect. We wanted to send him on loan to Valencia but the situation has changed. I trust in him, he is working very well. If we need the possibility to give him time, I trust him. He could play.”
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The Verdict: Good prospect for the future
When looking at Gil’s underlying stats for the past year, it is fair to say the youngster has shown glimpses of promise for the future.
As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe, the winger ranks in the 94th percentile for pressures per 90 and in the 88th percentile for dribbles completed, implying he is finally adding the physicality and directness Conte wants alongside his obvious technical skills.
With statistical comparisons to the likes of AC Milan’s Brahim Diaz and Everton’s Anthony Gordon, the 21-year-old certainly has the attacking flair to make it at the top level of European football.
Therefore, if Conte does end up giving him minutes against Frankfurt this evening, this will be a huge opportunity for the youngster to show Tottenham fans what he can do.