Pre-season key for Kyle

Kyle Walker-Peters knows all about the importance of pre-season.

It’s often the stage for younger players to show what they can do in high-profile International Champions Cup (ICC) matches with the chance to impress Mauricio Pochettino and his staff ahead of the big kick-off in August.

The likes of Harry Kane, Ryan Mason, Harry Winks and more recently Oliver Skipp have done just that since Mauricio arrived in 2014. Indeed, seven Academy graduates played in the ICC win against AC Milan in America last summer.

Kyle followed the same pre-season path in Australia and the USA with his summer shows no doubt playing a part in his progress to first team squad regular and 19 appearances in the last two seasons including 10 across all four competitions last term.

The full-back, now 22, knows that’s the case again as the squad travel out to Asia for ICC crackers against Juventus (Sunday, Singapore, 12.30pm UK/7.30pm local) and Manchester United (25 July, Shanghai, 12.30pm UK/7.30pm local).

He said: “Pre-season is the opportunity to show the gaffer what you can do and try and get yourself in his plans for the season. That’s my aim.

“We get the opportunity to compete against the quality of Juventus and United in Asia, two top teams.

“These games, ultimately they are for fitness, but when you compete you want to win.

“From the moment we walk through the doors in pre-season, you get the sense ‘this is it, we’re going for it again’. Everyone is excited. Everyone is determined - and we want to win.”