Ivan Perisic has become as important on the wing for Inter as Achraf Hakimi, a report in the Italian media argued today.
Gazzetta dello Sport’s print edition said Antonio Conte had finally found ‘Hakimi’s twin’ on the left-hand side, having turned the Croatian into a key player for his 3-5-2 system.
Perisic is well above Serie A’s average this season in terms of chances created, with 1.04 per game compared to 0.75 across the league.
The 32-year-old is also out-performing his peers for crosses completed, producing 2.80 per match in comparison to the league average of 0.78.
Inter’s former boss Luciano Spalletti once claimed Perisic was the Nerazzurri’s own version of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Milan-based paper recalled, such is the Croatian’s devastating physical strength on the wing.
He is covering more ground and completing more defensive work before and yet Perisic’s ability in one-on-one situations is just as strong as ever, the report argued.
Perisic has learned Conte’s instructions off by heart and is now a fixed starter in the former Juventus coach’s XI.
