Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Oliver Skipp is staying put – and he seems has dreams of becoming something of a James Milner character.
Tottenham confirmed on Wednesday that Skipp has signed a new contract with the club until 2027.
Antonio Conte is believed to be a huge fan of Skipp and we could see him take on a vital role in the Tottenham side moving forward.
That won’t be easy for Skipp. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur have formed a strong partnership in recent weeks and Skipp needs to break back in.
Add in that Conte seemingly wants midfield additions this summer and Skipp needs to make sure he doesn’t go the same way as Harry Winks.
The Athletic now claim that Liverpool veteran Milner is a player that Skipp looks up to and would like to emulate at Tottenham.
That isn’t what you always expect to hear.
Young English midfielders will probably tell you they looked up to Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes.
Not many would say they want to be like Milner, who has to be one of the most overlooked English midfielders of his generation.
Milner has never been flashy, even when he was more of an attacking player at Leeds United.
Hard-working, determined and reliable, Milner has been a top Premier League performer for around 20 years now.
They’re the players you need in your squad; unheralded, often in the background but always knitting things together on and off the pitch.
Skipp shares many of those qualities and you can absolutely envision him becoming a Milner-like figure for Tottenham.
Milner played for Leeds, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Manchester City before heading to Liverpool, but the hope is that Skipp can be a one-club man.
With that new deal in place, Skipp will be given every opportunity to become a Tottenham mainstay – just as Milner has at Liverpool.
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