5 players who could benefit from Jose Mourinho's arrival at Tottenham

3. Eric Dier

Mourinho has finally got his wish to manage Dier, who is in need of a refresh after becoming a forgotten man

Eric Dier has become a forgotten man over the past year or so, with persistent injuries and unconvincing displays seeing his stock fall down the pecking order in midfield. Just like many before him, the 25-year-old has become a victim of his own versatility and been shunted into a utility role rather than a bonafide starter in one specific position.

He hasn't been the same since Mousa Dembélé's departure. Despite predominantly playing either as a defensive-minded or holding midfield role, arguably his best individual display of 2018-19 was their 2-2 draw with Everton on the final day of the campaign. On that afternoon, he partnered Toby Alderweireld at centre-back.

In recent games against Red Star and Sheffield United, he looked error-prone and understandably nervy at centre-back. After all, Dier's only started four games across all competitions this term and is lacking match sharpness. Should they want to keep him there long-term, they must be patient otherwise stick to his more natural position in midfield, where he's better suited. This is where Mourinho comes into the equation.

The pair have history, dating back to 2016 during Jose's Manchester United spell. He's long been an admirer of the versatile England international, who spent eleven years in Portugal with Sporting before a £4.5m move to Tottenham five years ago.

That Portuguese connection and their conversation after a game unnerved Pochettino but despite making bids for his services, a deal was never close. Finally though, he's got an opportunity to manage Dier. His existing deal runs until the summer of 2021, so it'll be interesting to see whether he can silence critics by reasserting starting credentials quickly under Mourinho: either in midfield or defence.