Dejan Kulusevski has joked that Antonio Conte "doesn't want me to have fun" as the Tottenham boss tries to build a nastier squad to reach new heights.
Spurs have enjoyed an unbeaten start to the new Premier League season, and Conte said ahead of Saturday's 1-0 win against Wolves that he wants to build a nastier, more ruthless side to help the club take the next steps in his development. That new edge, aided by experienced new signings such as Ivan Perisic, has helped Tottenham take seven points from their opening three matches without having to reach top gear yet.
The creative Kulusevski admits that he can still improve plenty in his game, but when asked whether he can get nastier as the manager demanded, the 22-year-old was not entirely sure.
READ MORE: Conte's transfer request and Anthony Gordon, Lloris and Son's disagreement and tough Romero
"I don't know! I can attack the goal more, for sure. Sometimes I'm just in a different world when I play," he admitted. "I feel so comfortable sometimes, so I just play and have fun, but he doesn't want me to have fun! He wants me to kill the opponent in a sporting way!"
The Swede admitted that Conte was furious with the players after a ponderous, sluggish first half against Wolves in the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.
"He was angry, but we were all angry at ourselves. Early in the game, we didn't wake up, we didn't play good. We played a little bit with fear," said Kulusevski. "We have to improve. We have a good team like we showed in the second half, but we have to show that from the first minute. We have a lot of improvement to do."
He did add: "I feel that for sure [that's a game Spurs might not have won last season]. I think even if we're not playing at the top level everybody, we're still winning. That's very important.
"We have to win. It doesn't matter how you play, you have to win. It was a very good result, and we're very happy."
Kulusevski has started his first full season at Spurs brightly after making such a big impact since arriving from Juventus in the January transfer window. The Sweden international now has nine assists and six goals from his first 21 Premier League matches, and he was asked whether he is now in the best form of his young career since his second loan spell at Parma when he won the Serie A Best Young Player of the Season award.
"It's similar. I feel very good. I think I can do better, but the important thing is always to be humble, to work harder because we have a goal this season, and I think we can do it," he said. "For sure [having a pre-season helps]. You have more time to adapt. Last season you came into the game, and you had one chance. If you played bad, you did not play again. It was more pressure. Now I feel much better, a better start and physically in better form."
Kulusevski has been impressed by summer signing Richarlison, who has made an impact with both of his first two appearances from the bench against Chelsea and Wolves.
"I think he's a fantastic player. He's come into two games and changed both games for the better. He's so hungry, and I can improve a lot from him [in terms of] the hunger to get in the box and score," said the Swede.
Conte has been using a front four at times in the second half early in the season, with Richarlison coming on alongside Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Kulusevski, and the latter is all for it. Thanks to the versatility of the squad.
"They're fantastic players. We have to adapt," said the winger. "If everybody is on the pitch, you have to adapt, to run back more. We have to attack as an 11 but defend that way also."
READ NEXT:
What happened after Conte and Tuchel flashpoint and why the Tottenham boss should not be banned
- Tottenham news and transfers LIVE: All the latest updates and rumours from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Full Tottenham Premier League fixture list for 2022/23
Djed Spence explains what Antonio Conte told him he wants from him and helpful Ivan Perisic chat
Paratici's Garner interest, Hojbjerg's intense Romero talk and Perisic instructing Sessegnon
