Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg 'accepting' lack of game time at Tottenham Hotspur

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 16 October 2023

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg says that he must "accept" his new peripheral role at Tottenham Hotspur and he intends to learn from the experience as he seeks to win back his place in the starting lineup.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has revealed that he must "accept" his new peripheral role at Tottenham Hotspur and he intends to learn from the experience as he seeks to win back his place in the starting lineup.

The 28-year-old was a first-team regular in midfield under former boss Antonio Conte last season, making 44 appearances in all competitions including 35 Premier League starts.

However, Hojbjerg has since fallen out of favour under new head coach Ange Postecoglou and he is yet to start in the top flight this season, instead making seven substitute appearances.

Postecoglou has favoured Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr in centre-midfield and both players have impressed thus far as Spurs sit pretty at the top of the Premier League table after eight matches.

Tottenham will soon have another midfield option in Rodrigo Bentancur returning to first-team action following a lengthy spell out with a knee injury, meaning that Hojbjerg could be pushed further down the pecking order.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes in action with Tottenham Hotspur's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on April 27, 2023 © Reuters

Hojbjerg was strongly linked with a move away from Spurs in the summer, with Fulham understood to have failed with an offer to recruit the midfielder in the final few hours of the transfer window.

Nevertheless, the former Southampton and Bayern Munich man remains in North London and is in contention to return to the starting lineup against none other than Fulham next Monday as Bissouma is ruled out through suspension.

Hojbjerg, who is currently away on international duty with Denmark, has insisted that he is prepared to work hard to earn back his place in Tottenham's first XI and is ready to be called upon when needed.

Asked by reporters, via Ekstra Bladet, if he has received an explanation for losing his regular starting spot, Hojbjerg said: "I don't have that dialogue to be honest.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in action for Tottenham Hotspur on October 8, 2022 © Reuters

"My approach to it is to keep the focus on the things I can do something about. I have to be ready to help the team if I am called. So, I make sure to train well and keep my nose straight in track."

"We are playing a new kind of football than we did last season, and we have got a new coaching team," Hojbjerg added. "Things work really well. We are in a very good position in the league, even though it is only a short time into the season, and we are making really good progress.

"So, it's all about keeping up. I haven't played as much as I've been used to, but it's also something you take with you and have to accept it and learn from."

Hojbjerg, who is under contract at Tottenham until June 2025, has made a total of 153 appearances for the North Londoners across all competitions since joining in 2020, scoring 10 goals and providing 16 assists.