Persuading Daniel Levy to deviate from his long-established transfer policy is no mean feat.
Over the past decade, a period that spans 21 transfer windows, Tottenham have signed 65 players, either on permanent deals or on loan. Of that number, just five have been over the age of 30 when they were brought to the club and only three of them have been outfield players. When it comes to transfers, Tottenham have a type and it isn’t typically those in their twilight years. Occasionally, though, exceptions can be made.
Fernando Llorente (32 at the time) was brought in to provide backup to Harry Kane in 2017; Gareth Bale (31) was lured back for one last dance in 2020 on a temporary deal that was heavily subsidised by Real Madrid; and this summer, Ivan Perisic (33) joined from Inter. Clearly, Antonio Conte put forward a convincing argument to Levy that Perisic was a player worth pursuing.
Conte’s case was helped by his history with the Croatian. Perisic played an influential role in Inter’s Serie A title win in 2020-21, adapting to a wing-back position after his manager had initially been sceptical about his suitability in a 3-5-2 formation. Perisic was sent to Bayern Munich at the end of Conte’s first pre-season with Inter but was welcomed back into the fold after returning to Milanello as a Champions League and treble winner.
Usually, when Conte has made a judgement about a player there is no way back. In a little under a year at Spurs, he has already seen off one-time golden boy Dele Alli, former club record signing Tanguy Ndombele and another big-money recruit in Giovani Lo Celso. Sergio Reguilon is also free to find new employers. It is significant therefore that Perisic was able to change Conte’s mind about him. You could probably count the others on one hand.
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Conte has had to be patient with his new signing given he was carrying a calf injury upon his arrival, but gradually he is making an impact for his new club. Perisic came off the bench to setup Harry Kane’s last-gasp equaliser at Stamford Bridge last weekend and repeated the trick on his full debut against Wolves. Move over Son Heung-min, there’s a new double act in town.
Perisic briefly featured during Tottenham’s first home game of the season against Southampton, but if that was the football equivalent of saying a quick hello to your new partner’s parents before heading out for dinner, this was a more formal introduction. And as meaningful first impressions go, this was overwhelmingly positive, even if there one or two bumps in the road to begin with.
“It was the same for the rest of the team, he struggled in the first half,” acknowledged Conte. “First half he struggled, second half he improved a lot. Now I want to see him in the same way, in the first half the same as the second half like the rest of the team.”
It was a fair assessment. Wolves outshot Spurs 12 to one in the opening 45 minutes and Perisic took a while to warm up. Unfortunately for him, he was situated on the same side as his boss during the first half and was on the receiving end of some “feedback” from the Italian after he failed to make a forward dart into space when the opportunity presented itself.
But he gradually grew into the game, creating Spurs’ only chance of the first half with a flighted cross for Kane to attack before presenting another opportunity for Davinson Sanchez shortly after the restart. Finally, at the third time of asking he got his assist, flicking on Son’s corner for Kane to convert from close range for his 250th goal in Spurs’ colours. At the other end of the pitch, he won a team-leading five tackles.
Ivan Perišić for Tottenham vs. Wolves:
— Squawka (@Squawka) August 20, 2022
◉ Most duels won (7)
◉ Most tackles (5)
◉= Most chances created (3)
◉ Most assists (1)
Assists in back-to-back games for the Croatian.pic.twitter.com/PpMExCm2An
“I have seen the Ivan Perisic I know from when we were together at Inter,” Conte said. “For us he is very important because we are talking about a player with a great experience. A player that won a lot in his past, has played in an important team.”
Perisic took Ryan Sessegnon’s place in the line-up but his presence in the squad can only benefit the 22-year-old. Over the next two years – the length of Perisic’s Tottenham contract – Sessegnon must become a sponge, absorbing all he can from a player who has won eight major trophies and scored in a World Cup final. Perisic has a winner’s mentality to go alongside his talent.
“He can bring experience,” said Conte. “I was really pleased with the impact of Ryan Sessegnon. For Sess, who is playing well this season it is very, very important to have a player in front of you like Ivan. In front of him Sess has a great career.”
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