Tottenham have had a solid start to the season, with Antonio Conte's side winning two and drawing one of their first three Premier League matches. These fixtures have involved a number of Spurs' new signings, with six of them already making their debut with their new club, whilst seventh signing Destiny Udogie is back on loan with Udinese.
With just over a week left in the transfer window, there are still more deals which could be completed. Conte admitted on Saturday that if players now leave, new members to the squad must replace them.
There are players linked with both moves to N17 and moves away, as the Italian looks to build the strongest squad possible, for the long season ahead. One surprising exit link which has come out in the last week or so, is Pierre Emile Hojbjerg.
READ MORE: Antonio Conte still has a key Tottenham decision to make after Hojbjerg's impact against Chelsea
The Dane has become a key part of Conte's squad since the 53-year-old's arrival. Hojbjerg featured in every one of his 36 Premier League appearances last season and has already played 90 minutes in Tottenham's first three matches of the 2022/23 campaign.
In those three games so far, Hojbjerg has already scored one goal, produced 16 accurate long balls and made nine clearances. The 27-year-old built up a strong on-field partnership with Oliver Skipp before the youngster's injury last season.
He then had to try and replicate the bond with Rodrigo Bentancur after his arrival and has already played alongside Yves Bissouma, as the ex-Brighton man settles into life at his new club. The midfielder not only makes an impact at both ends of the field, he is also a vocal leader figure on the pitch.
"Everyone is responding well and trying to create their own personality in that system, so yeah, which is good and positive and something that the team will benefit from. Overall, the players that have arrived, I think they’re all really good players, and it’s important with the competition," he said after Spurs' pre-season match against Roma, via The Boot Room.
When the rumours surfaced, linking Hojbjerg to Real Madrid, it sparked a mixed reaction from fans. The Dane gets a lot of criticism from some supporters, but his value in the squad arguably goes under the radar.
Hojbjerg isn't a flashy midfielder who does loads of eye-catching things on the pitch, but he still makes a major impact on Conte's side. This hasn't just been noticed under the Italian, with Jose Mourinho also full of praise for the midfielder in December 2020.
"Pierre is, first of all, very intelligent. He reads the game very well. He’s going to be a coach one day, for sure," Mourinho admitted.
"He’s a pain, asking questions about why we do this and why we do that. On the pitch, he reads the situation very, very well and the people that surround him are really compact, they read the game.
"Physically he’s very, very strong and technically he’s much better than people think. And the guy is so simple in everything he does with the ball. And I think he’s a phenomenal player," the former Spurs manager added.
Hojbjerg has continued to develop and improve and he wouldn't be linked to a club like Real Madrid unless he had quality, which is something Noel Whelan pointed out whilst praising the midfielder.
"I think they’ll [Tottenham] fight to keep him. He’s proven already this season what an important player he has become under Conte," he told Football Insider.
"He has become more consistent, and he’s a permanent fixture on the teamsheet straight away. I can understand why Real Madrid want him, because he’s playing like one of the best midfield players – not just in the Premier League, but in Europe.
"I think they’ve got to try and do what they can to keep him, and I didn’t think I’d be saying that after some of his performances when he first signed. What he’s doing right now is invaluable for that front three at Spurs," Whelan added.
Conte has a strong midfield quartet available to him this season and Hojbjerg is a key part of that. I would be very shocked if Tottenham did consider an offer for him, unless it was a significant one.
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