Antonio Conte has hinted that Arnaut Danjuma is not playing much for Tottenham because the club's hierarchy went against his wishes to sign him in the January transfer window.
Danjuma came close to joining Everton before Spurs gazumped their rivals to sign him on loan from Villarreal until the end of the season. Tottenham also have the option to make the 26-year-old winger’s move permanent for a fee of £27million in the summer.
That eventuality appears unlikely at the moment, with Danjuma having made just four appearances as a late substitute. While he scored on debut in a 3-0 win over Preston in the FA Cup in January, he has been used sparingly of late.
Some supporters questioned Conte’s decision to leave the Netherlands international on the substitutes’ bench during the goalless draw against AC Milan on Wednesday which sent Spurs out of the Champions League. Conte, who has frequently sniped about the lack of backing in the transfer market, was asked in his pre-match press conference if Danjuma was in contention to feature against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
“Yeah about Arnaut, for sure I am sorry,” he said. “I am sorry for him because he arrived in the transfer market in January and the club wanted to sign on loan this player.
“For sure, he has good characteristics, good quality and maybe he has not specific characteristics to be a number 10. Maybe he is more a second striker or a winger, but for sure I am appreciating a lot his desire, his will in every training (session).
“Against Milan, if we don't have that red card to [Cristian] Romero, he was coming to try to play with a 4-2-4. I have to try to find always the best solution.”
Conte’s decision to bring on Davinson Sanchez for Kulusevski in the 83rd minute against Milan – six minutes after Romero was sent off – was met with boos from the home crowd. The Italian opted not to bring on Danjuma or fellow attacker Lucas Moura, but failed to understand the crowd’s reaction.
Asked about the booing, he laughed before saying: “But we had three strikers. We continue to stay with three strikers. Sonny, Kane and Richarlison and then we put Pedro Porro and we played with a 3-4-3 usually and without one player we played a 3-3-3 or 3-2-4 but do you think that if you win the game only because you play with a striker?
“You have to find in every moment to risk but at the same time don't lose the balance if you want to keep one chance and then we had the chance, but then I repeat if you think in that moment we can play with four strikers? We can do 2-2-4 against Milan and the counter-attack and the space? But I repeat that I think I do my job and everyone has to do their job.”
