Tottenham defender Ryan Sessegnon has revealed Jose Mourinho has told him to be more aggressive off the ball when playing in a wing-back role.
The 19-year-old was brought by former manager Mauricio Pochettino and was forced to wait until November to make his debut for the club due to injury but has since found consistency in the side.
Sessegnon has started Spurs' last four matches, heading into this weekend's mammoth clash against Liverpool, and has the opportunity to make the position his own with Danny Rose and Ben Davies sidelined through injury.
The teenager still has ways to improve though and Mourinho is keen for him to be more aggressive without possession, while he also wants to try him in different positions.
"I think he wants to vary me in different positions," he told Sky Sports. "If I am playing at full-back or wing-back he wants me to be aggressive off the ball - that's something I have been working on in my game.
"[He wants me to] be more positive on the ball as well. I've been a bit disappointed in myself, the way I have been playing recently. It's an honest assessment from me looking back at it.
"I'm usually a very positive player with the ball but the last few games I haven't exploited areas which I usually would. For the upcoming games, if I am involved, I will have to do better."
After rising through the ranks at Fulham and subsequently earning a transfer to Spurs, Sessegnon has seen constant comparisons to Gareth Bale - and he admits he wants to emulate the Real Madrid star.
"I think [the comparisons are] definitely a confident boost. [Bale] was one of the players that I looked up to when I was younger, especially when he was at Southampton bombing up on the wing.
"He has attributes that I want to add to my game. In terms of attacking intent, the mentality to get in behind on the left flank and dribble with the ball, I'm trying to add a little bit of that into my game.
"If I could ever become as great as he has become it would be a massive achievement. I'm so far off at the moment. I set my standards very high, so I've got a lot of improvement to do, I'm still learning the game."
However, he has no plans to convert to a winger, like Bale did in his career, and instead sees his future remaining in a full-back role.
"I think at this moment in time I don't have a preferred position, I see myself long term at full-back. When I watch myself in clips, the way I play, my body shape, I feel like I am more suited to an attacking left-back role.
"But I always have it in my mind to be strong defensively as well. It's just getting the balance between attacking and defending."
