Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King has heaped praise on Eric Dier and believes that his versatility will prove vital for the club during the upcoming campaign.
Dier has established himself as a key member of Mauricio Pochettino's side since his arrival in 2014, filling in at centre-back and defensive midfield as Spurs have mounted back-to-back title challenges.
King also switched between those two roles during his playing career, and he admitted that he has been surprised at how quickly Dier has adapted to his change of position.
"I remember watching him in pre-season in Denver [in 2015], and he impressed me straight away. At the time, I didn't know he could step into midfield and perform that well. I quickly saw he was capable of that and he went on to have a great season in midfield. I'm not sure what position he would say he wants to play, but he does both equally well," King told the Evening Standard.
"It can be difficult but playing multiple positions is the sign of a good player. When you're competing in a tough team that's full of top players, you're usually happy to be on the pitch and to have a starting position. He can start and if he feels as comfortable at the back as he does in midfield, it may be no problem to him.
"That's a great strength that this Tottenham team have. They are able to play three centre-halves or two, so you can change. You've seen Eric either step out or step back and make subtle adjustments. It's a great strength for any team to have, without having to change your personnel. It makes it a lot easier. People rotate a lot more now and that's one of the things that surprised me about how easy it was for Eric.
"With the ball at his feet he looks very comfortable and very cultured. He doesn't give the ball away at all but also he's not just playing sideways and backwards, he's turning on the ball under pressure and playing forward balls, and he's been brilliant."
Dier missed just two Premier League games for Spurs last season as they recorded their highest finish since 1963.
Barney Corkhill
