Former Inter wingback Ivan Perisic feels that while the adjustment to being used as a wingback didn’t happen right away, it was a role that he excelled at under Simone Inzaghi.

Speaking to UK broadcaster Sky Sports, the 33-year-old spoke about the stylistic transition that he underwent during his last couple of seasons playing for the Nerazzurri.

When Perisic arrived at Inter from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2015 he was essentially a pure attacking winger despite being renowned for his versatility and workrate.

When Antonio Conte arrived at the club in the summer the Croat went out on loan to Bayern Munich, as there didn’t appear to be a place for him given that the coach does not player with wingers but instead uses wingbacks.

However, after returning from his loan in Bavaria Perisic stayed and played under Conte, shifting to the wingback role which is customary in the current Tottenham and former Juventus, Italy, and Chelsea coach’s system.

Perisic played regularly on the flank when the Nerazzurri won the Scudetto in Conte’s second season in charge, but if anything the Croat’s displays only improved under Conte’s successor Simone Inzaghi who also uses wingbacks in his preferred formation.

The 33-year-old was arguably Inter’s outstanding player last season, and his performances attracted the interest of Conte once again, who brought him to Tottenham in the Premier League.

“With him, I changed my position and he likes to play with three at the back,” he says. “At Inter we used to play with 3-5-2 and I was on the left as a wing-back,” Perisic said.

“In the beginning I needed a few games to adapt. It’s really something new after so many years as a winger, but I think later I did well,” he continued.

“Especially also last season with Inzaghi,” he continued, “because we kept playing the same tactic and now also here we’re going to try to play a similar system.”

He explained that “I like to play in this position because I have more contacts with the ball than as a winger and most of the time I’m facing the goal – and I also like to help the defence.”

Perisic argued that “I think it’s the perfect position for me.”