What can Tottenham fans expect from Destiny Udogie?
Destiny Udogie is an Italian wing-back who is rated highly at youth International level and is Tottenham’s seventh signing of the window. With the youngster being sent back on loan to Udinese for the 2022/23 season for regular game time, Spurs fans will be curious as to what Udogie will contribute to Antonio Conte’s side in the future.
Firstly, let’s address where Destiny Udogie has come from. The breakthrough prospect started off life at Hellas Verona and made his way into their first team for a brief period. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, multiple clubs, including Everton and Monaco, attempted sign Udogie during his time in Verona but the player remained in Italy. After less than two games worth of Serie A experience, the wing-back was purchased by Udinese for €4million where he truly showcased his ability.
In his first full season with Udinese, the Italian racked up five goals and three assists in 35 league appearances, exhibiting his attacking expertise to the world. Outscoring all the wing-backs in the league, other than Ivan Perišić, established Udogie as one of the most exciting young talents in the Serie A in his first full season.
To further confirm his potential, when competing in the U17 Euros with Italy, Udogie played a vital role in the team reaching the final of the competition. However, his role in the tournament was as a central midfielder which points to the Italian being a budding modern full-back with confidence in his ball-playing ability.
In terms of physicality, Udogie is tailored to the requirements of Antonio Conte. He possess immense pace and is physically strong, having the ability to hold his own defensively or be a threat going forward. He is also very agile with or without the ball, illustrating his aptitude to attack central areas and defend in one-on-one scenarios.
Despite the ability to do both, the wing-back has been known to over commit going forwards at times. This is an error in his transitional play that can easily be corrected by Conte, one of the best coaches in the world at developing wide players to suit his system.
Going back to Udine for a season will be beneficial for Tottenham’s latest acquisition as he will be getting regular first team football. With Ryan Sessegnon and Ivan Perišić currently at the club it would be very difficult for the Italian to break into Conte’s current squad. However, with another promising season in the Serie A, it may only be a matter of time before we see Udogie in the Spurs set-up upon his return.
The long-term potential of this signing is astronomical. Not only does Udogie have a very high ceiling, but it is another example of Antonio Conte planning for a future beyond his current contract at Tottenham Hotspur.