Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge reckons that Oliver Skipp is the first name on the teamsheet at Tottenham right now.

The 21-year-old was given his chance by Mauricio Pochettino, but only became a regular under Nuno Espirito Santo before flourishing under Antonio Conte.

Skipp, valued at £18m by Transfermarket, has featured in every Premier League game that he's been available for this season and Bridge reckons that the midfielder is quickly becoming a key player for his boyhood club.

How has Skipp performed this season?

According to WhoScored, the former Norwich City loanee has been Spurs' 11th-best player this season, although that simply doesn't tell the full story.

Skipp has the best passing percentage in the entire Tottenham squad and averages the fourth-most passes behind only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Eric Dier and Cristian Romero, even though Glenn Hoddle said that he can sometimes be "frustrating" when he opts to pass backwards.

Furthermore, Skipp's rating has improved dramatically since Conte's arrival, producing his top three performances since the Italian replaced Nuno in November. The best (7.66) of those came on Boxing Day as Spurs continued their impressive festive form by dispatching Crystal Palace.

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Skipp recently found himself on the bench against Liverpool, but he's started all but four of Tottenham's 16 Premier League games this season, quickly establishing himself as a regular in the starting line-up despite this being his first full campaign at top-flight level.

Even after Harry Winks' display in the 2-2 draw against Jurgen Klopp's side, the fact Skipp started against West Ham and Palace would suggest that he remains in Conte's best XI.

Right now, Bridge believes that the young midfielder is arguably the Spurs boss' most important player.

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What did Bridge say about Skipp?

He told GIVEMESPORT: "Skipp is probably the first name on the teamsheet at the moment, he's absolutely loved."

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Is Skipp close to an England call?

Central midfield is a competitive department in Gareth Southgate's squad, with Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, and Kalvin Phillips battling it out for just two starting roles.

There's also the likes of James Ward-Prowse and Conor Gallagher, who are already ahead of Skipp in the pecking order.

But as Gallagher and Emile Smith Rowe have shown in recent months, good performances won't keep being ignored, and with Phillips currently out injured for several weeks, carrying on his form until the next international break in March could see Skipp rewarded with his first senior call-up.