Spurs: Conte can unearth his next Esposito in Scarlett | OneFootball

Following Tottenham Hotspur’s crucial 3-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday, a result which provided Spurs’ hopes of securing a top-four finish this season with a significant boost, Antonio Conte brought up something of a surprise name in his post-match press conference.

Indeed, when Alasdair Gold asked the 52-year-old for an assessment of Son Heung-min’s display against the Hammers, the Italian initially responded with gushing praise for the South Korean international, before turning the conversation towards Tottenham’s 17-year-old Dane Scarlett.

Regarding the young centre-forward, Conte said: “I’m seeing a lot of improvement in Scarlett, honestly, I have to tell you. Seeing that this guy is improving a lot, he’s only 17-years-old but I can tell you that he is a really important prospect for Tottenham.

“He has to be patient and work behind these very important players and continue to work in this way because about Scarlett, I can tell you that I see a brilliant future for him.”

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Conte’s next Esposito

While he has become something of a regular in Conte’s first team in recent months – featuring in ten of Spurs’ last 11 Premier League matchday squads – Scarlett is yet to fully make his mark in the top flight, playing a grand total of just three minutes in the league so far this season.

However, the 17-year-old can take heart from the fact that, during his time at Inter Milan, the 52-year-old previously placed his trust in one of the Nerazzurri’s most exciting young talents – in the shape of Sebastiano Esposito.

Indeed, after handing the centre-forward – who Football Talent Scout, Jacek Kulig, dubbed a “killer” – both his Serie A and Champions League debuts at the age of 17, the £5.4m-rated youngster went on to make a total of 14 first-team appearances under Conte – with now-19-year-old praising the Italian for the role he played in his development.

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Speaking about the Spurs boss, Esposito said: “I have to say that Conte also had a big influence on my mentality. A phenomenal coach. If the years in the Inter first team were unforgettable, it was because of him.”

As such, considering Conte’s clear fondness of Scarlett, it would very much appear as if the 17-year-old  – who Jose Mourinho also labelled an “immense talent” – could very well become the Italian’s next Esposito at Spurs – something which is undoubtedly an extremely exciting thought for everyone involved with the club.