Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilon says manager Jose Mourinho has 'impressed him a lot' since he arrived from Real Madrid in summer, claiming he is much different to how the outside world sees him.
The Spaniard has adapted quickly after joining in a £28million deal, nailing down a place as the club's first-choice left-back over Ben Davies and playing his part to help Spurs rise to second in the table.
But he said Mourinho has been a huge factor in his transition to life in north London and he praised the Portuguese coach for his 'intensity' on the training ground.
He revealed the former Chelsea boss is not always as stern as people believe, adding that while he often keeps the squad on their toes, he is also happy to 'fool around' when the time is right.
'Mourinho impressed me a lot,' he told Spanish TV station El Chiringuito.
'Since I was kid I really liked him, I like his intensity in training. I would like if people saw him as I see him now. He is the first to be serious and ask more from us but when it's time to fool around, he is also the first.'
The 23-year-old has played seven times so far for the club after Tottenham beat a number of clubs to his signature. Reguilon was voted as the best left-back in LaLiga last season after excelling for Sevilla on loan, triggering interest from around Europe.
Manchester United and Chelsea were said to be serious suitors but were reportedly put off by Madrid seeking a buy-back clause. Eventually United signed Alex Telles from Porto while the Blues snapped up Leicester's Ben Chilwell.
Reguilon's arrival at Spurs was somewhat overshadowed as he was unveiled on the same day as Gareth Bale having travelled to London with his former Madrid team-mate.
Football fans were given a huge glimpse into how Mourinho operates during Amazon's fly-on-the-wall documentary All Or Nothing as cameras captured key moments from Tottenham's 2019-20 season.
Mourinho took over last November after the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino, with the team struggling in mid-table, but could only manage a sixth-place finish.
He looks to have raised the team's level in this campaign after 17 points from their first eight games as he bids to mount a title challenge and win the club's first trophy in 12 years.