Eric Dier has avoided finding 'another solution' at Tottenham after Mauricio Pochettino talks

Eric Dier is likely to be in the Tottenham starting XI later on this afternoon when the team take on Everton in their Premier League opener.

So long operating in the holding role in midfield for the Lilywhites, the 26-year-old stated last season that his long-term future is now at centre-back.

Actually playing there a couple of times before Mauricio Pochettino departed the club last November, Dier has really kicked on in the position under Jose Mourinho.

Struggling for game time in the opening few months of the 2019/20 campaign due to a health issue, the England international has opened up on the discussion he had with his former boss and why he had to make the move at the time or face the possibility of finding another solution.

Premier League match preview: Tottenham v Everton

"I had a health issue at the beginning of the season that I kept private and I had to have a little surgery, so I missed preseason, so that obviously had a huge impact," he said in an interview with GQ.

"And I spoke to Pochettino then, as for many years we had spoken about me playing as a centre-back, and that was where I was going to gradually move to.

"And we had a really great conversation: I said, “I think it’s my best position, I think I can develop into something very, very good there. But it has to be now, otherwise I think I have to find another solution.”

"And we talked for about two hours and he was really happy that I'd come to him and I had made that decision in my own mind. And he said, “OK, you’ve missed preseason, so you’ll have one now, don’t worry if you’re not playing for a couple of months, we’ll get you physically in the right place.”

"So I was completely calm about the situation. And the last couple of games before he left, I played at centre-back.

"And so when the new manager came in I started that dialogue again with Mourinho and for me that was the biggest part of wanting to stay at Tottenham and sign the new deal – it was purely footballing.

"I was really happy that Mourinho would give me the opportunity to play centre-back again and to prove myself there. I'm really excited."