Rodrigo Bentancur has reached new heights at Tottenham Hotspur since arriving on deadline day in the January transfer window this year.
The Uruguayan was just 24 when he walked through the doors at Hotspur Way after a move from Juventus which will cost Spurs just 19m euros (£16.3m), payable in three financial years, and may increase by an additional 6m euros (£5.1m) if Bentancur meets specific sporting objectives during his contract.
He became an instant success at Tottenham, impressing the fans the moment he took to the pitch on his debut in the FA Cup against Brighton, with his composure on the ball, quick passing and aggressive tackling instantly catching the eye. Along with fellow new arrival from Juventus Dejan Kulusevski, Bentancur helped transform Spurs into a team able to grab a spot in the top four.
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As the season wore on, the central midfielder, already a three-time Serie A winner from his time in Italy, added new layers to his game with three assists in the final three matches to help Tottenham overhaul Arsenal to the final Champions League qualification spot.
That improvement has only furthered this season with Bentancur adding goals to his game, with five of them and two assists, meaning seven goal goal involvements in 20 games in the Premier League and Champions League. Most crucially, the Uruguay international has been stepping up in big moments when the team needs him the most to inspire them.
He scored big goals against Leicester, Bournemouth, Sporting and twice against Leeds when Spurs desperately needed to find a way back in the game or a way to win the encounter.
Antonio Conte told football.london last month that Bentancur can become one of the best players in world if he believes it himself.
"Rodrigo has only one problem in my opinion. He has the real possibility to be really, really top, top, but you know that to become a top player you need to will it and to decide this," he said. "In the last period I think that Rodrigo has been playing in an outstanding way, and he's a player that is giving us a lot on the pitch, outside the pitch, and we are talking about a player that is showing the possibility to be one of the top, top midfielders, one of the best midfielders in the world.
"But you know to be a good player and then the top that is the difficulty. When you are medium to become good is not so difficult. The difference is to be good to top.
"I think he has everything and has the great potential to be a top, top midfielder. For this reason I push him. I push him every day, during the training sessions because he has this quality to become. Also Pierre Hojbjerg, he is making great progress if you compare last season and this season."
A standout in the Tottenham team this season, it's no surprise to see Bentancur as one of the four nominees for the Tottenham Hotspur Fans' Footballer of the Year award for 2022. Pivotal in the heart of midfield, this calendar year has highlighted just how important Bentancur is to Conte's Spurs team.
You can vote for your Spurs player of 2022 and your Premier League footballer of the year by voting in the polls above.
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