Swedish media view on Dejan Kulusevski, with Frida Fagerlund

Following the news that Dejan Kulusevski has put pen to paper on a permanent deal with us after an initial 18-month loan from Juventus, we spoke to Frida Fagerlund of Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet and broadcaster Viaplay to get the inside track on how the attacker’s spell in the Premier League so far has been perceived in his home country...

What is the view of Dejan Kulusevski from football fans in Sweden?

Frida: “I would say that Dejan is perceived as forward, an individual who consistently speaks his mind and is honest about his feelings when he’s unhappy. You would never doubt his work rate. As much as he loves winning, you can tell when he’s lost a game because of how frustrated he gets. Simply put, his dedication for his team, at both club and international level, shines through. This is why he’s considered such an important part of the Sweden team.”

What have been the perceptions of his performances so far in the Premier League and has he lived up to expectations?

Frida: “He certainly had an explosive start! Even he was slightly surprised by how quickly he settled into the team and the league. His great contribution helped him become the youngest player since 1990 to win Guldbollen, Sweden’s player of the year award. During the spring he was probably hampered by the team's lack of consistency in general, but every time he steps onto the pitch he makes sure to give his everything.”

How would you say Dejan has developed since he came to the Premier League?

Frida: “The obvious answer would be that he’s improved his physical game but to be honest, this was never really an issue in the first place. On the contrary, it was interesting to see how the physicality of the league didn’t bother him at all. Having team-mates such as Harry Kane has most certainly been great for his development.”

What can we expect from Dejan at Spurs going forward? He obviously demands a lot of himself and he may have been disappointed at his goalscoring return in 2022/23?

Frida: “You bet! I’m sure he’s not happy with how things turned out during the spring, including where the team ended up in the table. I get the feeling that it’s important for him that the coach shows faith in him. This is mainly the reason why it didn’t work out at Juventus, and probably why it did when he arrived at Tottenham. As long as Ange Postecoglou feels he can make an impact in his system, Dejan will do everything he can to deliver.”

How do you personally find Dejan, as someone who knows him and who has interviewed him a lot? Will he be pleased to have signed a permanent contract with us?

Frida: “Dejan is very pleasant to talk to, down to earth yet speaks the truth! I think he’s happy about the contract being signed, the fact that he knows where he will be during the upcoming season. One thing that stood out to me when I did an interview with him at his house last winter was how he talked about suffering as a positive thing - the more you suffer, the more you learn. He went to Italy as a youngster, which wasn’t a walk in the park, and knows that success doesn’t always come easy. Having the opportunity to play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in front of all the fans is not something he takes for granted, and I’m sure he will relish every moment in the upcoming season.”

Frida covers the Premier League for Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet and broadcaster Viaplay - follow her on Twitter @fagerlundfrida...