Antonio Conte has revealed that he was impressed by Pape Matar Sarr after working alongside him at Tottenham during the World Cup.
After Senegal crashed out of the tournament in the Round of 16, Matar Sarr returned to Tottenham training.
And it seems the 20-year-old managed to make quite the impression on Conte.
Just recently, it was reported by Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard that the Tottenham boss was keen on shipping Pape Matar Sarr.
The report had suggested that Antonio Conte believed the talented midfielder was upgradable and that too, in the January transfer window.
Since joining Spurs in 2021 for £14.6 million (Sky Sports), the youngster is yet to convince that he is ready to play at the highest level.
When Matar Sarr headed out on loan to Metz in Ligue 1 last season, his loan spell earned disappointing reviews.
In the ongoing 2022/2023 campaign, the wonderkid has made no senior appearances for Tottenham.
Keeping these factors in mind, this latest update is a welcome one regarding his status at the club.
Antonio Conte says he was impressed by Tottenham starlet Pape Matar Sarr during the World Cup
As Tottenham prepare to face Aston Villa on New Year’s Day, Antonio Conte has said that he was encouraged working alongside Pape Matar Sarr during the World Cup.
“To work with Pape [Matar] Sarr, he played in the World Cup but then he came back two weeks before and worked with us.”
“I think Pape Sarr is a really good prospect and I like the two weeks we worked after the World Cup with him”, he told Football.London’s Alasdair Gold.
Matar Sarr needs to kick on after praise
While it has seemed as if Antonio Conte has not been a fan of Pape Matar Sarr so far, his words of encouragement should push the player on to impress at Tottenham.
Admittedly, the former Metz midfielder is likely to get limited starting chances.
But as is the case with any young player, Matar Sarr must grab his opportunities when given with both hands.
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