Davinson Sanchez is welcoming the extra competition Clement Lenglet will bring to Tottenham Hotspur’s defence. Spurs signed 27-year-old France international Lenglet on loan from Barcelona last week but just too late to gain a visa for the club’s tour to South Korea. The centre-back is being put through his paces at Hotspur Way this week in order to be able to hit the ground running – quite literally – when Antonio Conte’s squad returns. Hugo Lloris gave football.london an insight into what his compatriot will bring to Spurs and the Premier League.
Hugo Lloris said: “About Clement, I’m really happy. Obviously I would have preferred him to be here with the team but it was not to be and he is working very hard to make sure he is going to be ready to work with the team soon. You know he’s the kind of player who is going to help the team, obviously with his experience, having played in a club like Barcelona and also his experience with the national team, even if the last few times he was not called, I think he has the ambition to get back in the national team. As a player I think he’s a modern defender, comfortable to be able to play from the back, he has a great left foot and he can be very strong in one vs one and he’s strong in the air. Even if it’s never easy when you arrive in the Premier League and he will have to adapt to the intensity of the games but he is a high level player. Also I’m even more happy because I have a good connection with him and also a great relationship with him. He has a great personality and he will adapt well to the team.”
Sanchez, who joined the club in the summer of 2017 and has played 180 times for Spurs, believes Lenglet’s arrival is a good thing for all of them because the new defender further increases the competition in the backline.
Davinson Sanchez said: “As a player you need that as well, competing, challenging with my team-mates always increases the healthy competition in the squad. The squad level is going to increase for sure. We’re looking for that, not only in my position, but we have at least two players for each position which is good. We are expecting to have a big season. We expect to challenge for as many objectives we have for this long, long season. We’re going to try to deliver the job, we’re going to try to create that atmosphere and spirit that we ended last season with.”
Every transfer window brings links away from the club for the Colombian but he has now got used to the constant speculation.
Davinson Sanchez said: “Every summer it’s been the same. This is my sixth season here. We are focusing on the team and what the season means for this club. Of course, there are always possibilities but the Premier League is the best league in the world and you have to be part of it if you want to compete against the best players.”
Sanchez believes the Tottenham players are starting to understand what Conte wants from them.
Davinson Sanchez said: “As players we’ve been ready since the manager came. He brings another mentality and philosophy. As players last year we were trying to put into the pitch what he wants. We want just to improve the many things we can and try to be ready for the Champions League. It’s a competition that everyone wants to be involved in.”
Conte’s sessions in South Korea have been tough and he has not let up for the crowds, with one open training session resulting in Harry Kane being sick by the side of the pitch and other players such as Son Heung-min also falling to the floor in exhaustion. Sanchez has been one of the fittest at the club this pre-season and in that same session on Monday evening could be seen among the leading two or three players as they completed 42 pitch-long runs at the end of the two-hour session.
Davinson Sanchez said:”It’s been tough. Pre-season means that. We’ve got to get ready for a season that we are trying to fight for as many challenges as we have. The fans are expecting the players to be ready for the challenge because it will be a big one this season. We want to build everything to be in the place we want to be, where we used to be before.”
Sanchez says there has been a buzz around the squad as August 6 and the opening Premier League game against Southampton looms on the horizon.
Davinson Sanchez added: “The squad has been happy with the atmosphere that we created, the spirit that we ended with last season. We’re looking forward. We’ve been competing against the best teams in the league and we want to reproduce that as well in Europe. We have many players in the squad who have the experience to fight against the big teams around Europe. We don’t just want to compete, we want to arrive with possibilities at the end of the season to be a contender.”
