Deki: “There are ups and downs, and it affects us all, because this is what we love - we want to make people happy”

Swedish journalist Frida Fagerlund hit the nail on the head in a recent feature on Dejan Kulusevski here on tottenhamhotspur.com as she explained that Deki always ‘speaks his mind’ and is ‘honest about his feelings’.

That was certainly the case when we spoke to the exciting forward at the end of what could only be described as a roller coaster season both for him and the team in 2022/23.

We completed the permanent signing of the Sweden international – he’s already racked up 29 caps by the age of 23 – on a deal until 2028, announced on Saturday, exciting news for a player who took the Premier League by storm on the first six months of his initial 18-month loan from Juventus, starting 15 of our final 17 matches, scoring five goals and claiming eight assists. That form earned him the 2022 Guldbollen, the prize for Sweden’s best male player, the youngest winner since Tomas Brolin in 1990.

But last season was tougher for Deki as injury restricted him to 37 appearances and 26 starts in our 50 matches in all competitions - he was sidelined for the best part of two months after picking up a muscle issue on international duty in September, returned in flying form only for the World Cup to arrive in November and December and then, frustratingly, picked up another muscle injury just after the Premier League resumption on Boxing Day.

Speaking to us before leaving for international duty - Sweden face Austria in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying this evening - and then his summer break, Deki was, as always, straight to the point on last season – here’s what he had to say...

Deki on... 2022/23

“It’s been a long season, when you think of when we started, it feels like about three years ago! It’s been quite a ride, up and down, very frustrating, I think. We started well, so you have to sum it up in many ways, before the World Cup, after the World Cup... before the World Cup, it feels like another season. You have to think about a lot of things. I’m happy, I’m grateful, I think I’ve learned a lot. Of course, I’ve been disappointed personally after the World Cup, I didn’t think I played well enough. Also, the team hasn’t been good enough, especially in the last few months where we tried everything, but it just wasn't to be.”

Deki on... what he’s learned

“I’ve learned a lot about momentum, not just in football, but in life. Momentum is big, when you feel good, when you’re on top, you have to beat your opponents. So, for instance, when you’re playing well, you have to attack, you have to score goals but when you’re up against it, you have to be more together as a group. There are things where I have to grow, when things are going badly, you have to forget (about them) as quickly as possible. This season was too much about why things aren’t going as well as they should, then you think, ‘I have to change this, I have to change that’ but then you lose the focus on yourself. Personally, for me, I’ve learned I have to stay on my path, keep doing what I do good and continue to do it.”

Deki on... ups and downs

“For the first time in my life I got an injury, then I came back and got another, and that messes with your head, because you think, ‘am I doing something wrong? Why do I keep getting injured?’ and you think you have to change this, do this, and then there’s the World Cup, that was difficult as well. For every player, there are ups and downs, and it affects us all a lot, because this is what we love, we want to make people happy, we don’t want to disappoint the coach, our friends, families, ourselves, so it’s difficult.”

Deki on... the future

“I still think I can grow so much. I’m still young, I’m 23, I hope to play this game for many years, and I think I can improve a lot, especially in the head, because that’s where it all is - football here, everyone can play. I’m always positive. We all love this game. Eventually, the storm goes and it’s all smiles again...”