Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Matar Sarr has become undroppable under Ange Postecoglou this season, despite struggling for game time last year.
Sarr, 21, was seen as a huge young talent after some very impressive performances for French side FC Metz.
He had captured the attention of Spurs' former director of football Fabio Paritici, who was a big fan of the player.
Paritici decided to pull the trigger and purchase the midfielder for around £15m as he looked to overhaul the Lilywhites' future with fresh talent.
The Italian saw Sarr as one of the best young prospects available on the market.
He commented: "I think Pape is one of the most talented in Europe.
"I think we made a great signing. A lot of teams were interested, so we made a very good signing.
"A great investment for the Club, and a great vision for the future."
After joining the North London side in the summer of 2021, they decided that the Senegalese player would return to FC Metz to gain valuable experience before joining the Premier League.
Difficult start to life in North London
Following his season loan back to his former club, Sarr officially joined the squad with Italian manager Antonio Conte at the reins.
However, his inaugural season in North London was far from ideal under the guidance of Conte.
The Senegalese Midfielder only accumulated 14 total senior appearances in the 2022/23 campaign and also struggled to impress in that period.
Fresh chance under Postecoglou
Many thought that Sarr would have benefited from another loan move for this term, however, he was dealt with a lifeline when Conte was given his marching orders and eventually replaced with Postecoglou.
The 58-year-old had a fantastic track record for providing young players with opportunities and game time to prove they are worthy of a place in his team.
The versatile midfielder put in some very impressive displays to show the Australian that he deserves a starting spot.
The manager has praised Sarr's ability to play anywhere across the central areas of the pitch.
"The good thing is that he can run and play all three (midfield positions) at once," Postecoglou stated.
He added: "I think with Pape when you consider his age, it is just his ability to embrace the challenge of playing in a midfield role, particularly for us when it is quite multi-functional in terms of what's needed from him.
"He has this great capacity, for him it's a great strength to just run and provide energy in all different areas.
This term, Sarr has featured in 25 games for Spurs, which is a significant increase from the previous campaign.
In those fixtures, the 21-year-old netted three goals and notched three assists.
His amazing performances for the North Londoners saw him represent Senegal on one of the biggest stages, the African Cup of Nations.
However, Senegal had a relatively disappointing campaign after being knocked out in the Round of 16.
This would have been a sense of relief for Spurs fans and staff as the midfielder was able to return earlier than his African counterparts.
Sarr's greatest qualities
Sarr's greatest quality this season has been his hard-working engine; the midfielder simply doesn't stop running.
His bundles of energy complement the manager's system excellently, as Postecoglou urges his team to high press and control the midfield so they can dictate the pace of the game.
The midfielder can constantly apply pressure onto the opposition, giving them less time to hold possession and think ahead of their next move.
This also means that he can get stuck in by making a tackle, intercepting the ball or breaking up play, making him a vital defensive piece at times.
We have also seen a massive improvement in his passing in this campaign, as he now attempts and mostly completes courageous passes across the pitch, which sometimes leads to goals.
One excellent example of this was his brilliant cross in the Lilywhites' 4-0 win against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
He charged down the right flank with rapid speed before threading a cross into the box, which found James Maddison, who was sandwiched in between two defenders.
This brave ball from Sarr led to Maddison opening the scoring in that fixture.
These qualities have made him a key player in both defending and attacking transitions, hence why he has become undroppable this season.
When the 21-year-old is absent from the starting lineup, the lack of his presence could certainly be felt, and it feels that Postecoglou's struggled to get a grip on the game and dictate play.
Therefore, Sarr will be a key figure for the upcoming home fixture against Premier League strugglers Luton Town, and will surely be one of the first names on the team sheet
Luton are likely to play compact and defensive when they meet Postecoglou's side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as they will be hunting for at least a point to bolster their bid to stay in the division, especially after Nottingham Forest replaced them in the drop zone following a points deduction.
Therefore, the Senegal international can be utilised for defence-splitting passes, or most importantly for his energy and pace in the midfield to try and deny the Hatters any counter-attacking opportunities.