Tottenham completed the signing of Yves Bissouma from Brighton earlier this summer for a fee of around £25 million.
The Mali defensive midfielder was outstanding for the Seagulls prior to his move to the London club but he will need to work harder in order to cement a starting berth at Spurs.
The club’s manager Antonio Conte has now issued a strong message for the tough-tackling midfielder urging him to work hard because he is currently behind the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur in the pecking order.
Bissouma has proven himself in the Premier League and there is no doubt that he has all the attributes to succeed at Spurs.
It remains to be seen whether he can win over the Spurs boss with his performances now. Bissouma will not only add presence and defensive steel to the Spurs midfield, he will also allow the attacking players to roam with more freedom and express themselves.
The 26-year-old has made just one start in the Premier League so far.
Conte said to Football London: “He needs to work, go totally into the idea of football.
“He’s a step behind Bentancur and Hojbjerg. The same for [Oliver] Skipp working with me all of last season. I’m pleased with what I’ve seen during the game and we’re talking about a player with good skills and who is strong physically with a good engine.”