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Bryan Gil was one of Tottenham's stand-out players in the first half of their 6-3 win against Team K League on Wednesday. The first pre-season friendly for Antonio Conte's side was a chance for a number of players to impress their boss in the first of two games in South Korea.
Gil has had a rollercoaster start to his footballing career, with the 21-year-old spending the main bulk of his short career at Sevilla. The youngster made his first appearance for the Spanish side's first team in 2019 and made the move to N17 last summer.
The winger came in under Nuno Espirito Santo and soon after his arrival, he admitted that there had been a request for him. "I think you can see. I've been requested to gain some weight, improve my physical condition and work hard," he admitted.
READ MORE: Bryan Gil reveals the one thing Spurs have asked him to do since he joined from Sevilla
Gil made nine Premier League appearances before he made the move to Valencia in January for a loan spell until the end of the 2022/23 season. The Spaniard failed to get regular game time at Spurs and also seemed to struggle to adapt to the Premier League, although he wasn't in England for long.
It was clear the 21-year-old needed to be stronger on the ball and had a lot to learn. There was hope that he could continue his development on his loan move, which did prove to be good for him.
Earlier this year, he spoke on his move back to his home country, only a short while after he joined Tottenham. "I was in England at home when my agent rang me about Valencia's offer," he explained.
"I had to talk to my parent club, Tottenham, and they said they'd like to see me get games under my belt. Things have gone pretty well since I arrived and I'm very happy. It was a great decision to come here.
"I wanted to get games and I thought I'd get the chance here. Obviously when you arrive at a club you have to prove yourself. But I already knew some of the guys here, like Carlos and Jose Gaya, and I think it helped me to settle quickly," Gil added.
The youngster impressed on his return to Spain, making 13 La Liga appearances and registering a single assist. This game time and experience is just what he needed, in a team that finished the campaign in ninth.
In February, Conte opened up on those who had gone out on loan in the previous month and how Tottenham had perhaps made some mistakes with their recent transfers. "About the players that went on loan, they need to play more games," he admitted.
"I think it was right for both sides, the club and the players. These players needed to play more games. For sure, it was strange. It was strange to send on loan, and sell one player, in the January transfer window. It was strange because it means something went wrong in the past. It was strange, I repeat in January to send four on loan, and sell one player.
"It means maybe in the past, you have to see what you did, and maybe to understand that there were some mistakes in the past. Because usually you have to buy players to reinforce your team. But if you send away players on loan you bought in the last two or three years, it means maybe you did something wrong in the past."
Although Gil wasn't directly mentioned, Conte may have been referencing signings such as the Spaniard, bringing a youngster in who stays in the country for just six months, before being sent out again. This is why this summer is a big one for the Spaniard.
The 21-year-old has a chance to prove why he is ready to make the step-up to the Premier League and that he can be ready to become a valued member of Conte's side. His first opportunity to impress was in Tottenham's first pre-season friendly.
Gil played the first 45 minutes and was arguably one of the stand-out players on the pitch. From the first minute, the youngster was quick to press and gave 100%, to try and help his side.
Playing on the right side of the attack, not only did the Spaniard bring energy, he also got into good positions and tried to make an impact at both ends of the field. Gil produced a nice pass to Eric Dier in the build-up to Spurs' first goal and was always looking to get into good positions to receive the ball.
Another success of his short game time was that he didn't appear to get shoved off the ball, managing to get round opposition players. Although this was only one half of football, it was perhaps an indication of the development Gil has already gone through.
There will likely be other occasions where the youngster gets his chance to impress, with Tottenham's next pre-season friendly only a few days away. Conte will then have a decision to make - does he see Gil fitting into his plans for next season or does he need to be sent out again?
Spurs have a busy fixture schedule for the 2022/23 campaign with four competitions to fight for. The Italian also needs a large squad for rotation, especially with the five substitution rule being adapted permanently.
If the 21-year-old does remain in N17, he would likely get opportunities to play and have the chance to continue working and learning from Conte and his staff. However, at his age and with the development he still needs, a loan move for another season could be what is best for all parties.
There could well be interest from abroad for Gil, especially with his success with Valencia last season, but the Spaniard needs to get used to English football. The winger needs regular game time in the Premier League, so he can return to Tottenham and not have to start his adaptation from scratch.
Oliver Skipp showed how beneficial a good loan spell can be, as his year at Norwich helped him to develop and return a much stronger player. A similar move seems the most sensible option for Gil this summer. But for now, he needs to continue working hard and impressing whenever he is given the opportunity.
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