Spurs had to be near-perfect down the stretch to secure Champions League football for next season, and even then, they still needed Arsenal’s help to get the job done. But everything fell into line when Antonio Conte achieved the goal for which he was hired, finishing fourth in the Premier League and ending a two-year absence from Europe’s elite competition for the London team.
Conte has been rewarded with a hefty budget and, for now at least, has agreed to stay on as Spurs manager. While that could change at any moment due to Conte’s volatility, all is well for the first time in a long time at Tottenham. Years of bad transfers, fired managers and almost wasting one of the best attacking cores in Europe can be corrected if Conte achieves his goals.
This is a team that will need help to challenge for the title, but with Sadio Mane pushing Liverpool out, there could be vacancies at the top of the league and Conte knows a thing or two about winning, he has four Scudettos and a Premier League title. . title to his name. But what does he need to bring glory to Tottenham?
Here, we break down Tottenham Hotspur’s senior men’s roster and try to find out what will and won’t happen this summer:
Tottenham goalkeeper perspective
- To stay: Hugo Lloris
- union: fraser forster
- Uncertain future: Brandon AustinAlfie Whiteman
- Match: Pierluigi Gollini
Hugo Lloris has signed a contract extension and any doubt about his future has already dissipated. While he is not a perfect goalkeeper, with Conte, an above-average goalkeeper is all that is needed because the defense funnels shots into positions that make the goalkeeper’s job easier. Lloris can make mistakes at times, but none are usually big enough to cause the team to lose, and almost all of them come when he is forced to shoot out of his lane. It’s about keeping it simple and positioning the defense well against Lloris.
The team will consider themselves lucky that Golllini was only on loan from Atalanta, as he never looked comfortable in his limited England appearances. Because of that, it was easy to reject the purchase option and send it back to Italy. With a replacement already secured in the form of Fraser Forster who brings similar qualities to Lloris, not much business is needed at the job this summer. When it comes to the younger goalkeepers, Brandon Austin is more likely to stay, but either one could go on loan and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise.
Ideal moves: It’s been a while since Spurs had a third goalkeeper who felt like a true replacement for Lloris, who isn’t getting any younger, so if Conte isn’t convinced of Austin’s potential, it would make sense to look for a talented goalkeeper for boyfriend.
Tottenham’s Defensive Perspective
- To stay: Cristian Romero, Davidson Sánchez, Eric Dier, Ben Davies, Matt Doherty, Emerson Royal, Ryan Sessegnon
- union: Ivan Perisic
- Uncertain future: Joe Rodon, Priest Japheth
- Possible output: Sergio Reguilon, Cameron Carter-Vickers
Conte’s arrival turned defending from one of the team’s weaknesses into one of its greatest strengths. Romero, Dier and Davies were able to form a formidable trio in the back while Sánchez stepped in when needed. One of the biggest questions is whether Sanchez wants to move elsewhere to start, but with so many games due to Champions League commitments, Spurs will need to be able to play six deep at the back to feel safe. Conte used a shallow rotation of defensive players because he didn’t have a full preseason with the team, but Joe Rodon may be someone who has something to gain from a Conte preseason.
Already excelling alongside Davies with Wales, the pieces are there for Rodon to be a good defender, he just needs to put it all together and get a chance at Spurs. For Tanganga, it’s almost the opposite, as he has had chances but has been inconsistent when they have come. AC Milan were reportedly interested in a loan move for him in January and it may benefit both club and player if it is still on the table this summer.
The winger has already received an upgrade with the arrival of Perisic from Inter Milan. While he can play both winger and winger, he is expected to start on the left side of the defense offering a huge improvement on the Reguilon and Sessegnon combination. While Perisic is 33 years old, he has shown no signs of slowing down logging almost 3,000 minutes in Serie A scoring eight goals and assisting six more. Since Spurs didn’t have a left-back they could rely on last season, they build from the right more than they’d like, but that will change with the quality Perisic brings to the flank.
With the new it means that someone is the stranger and it seems that it will be Reguilón. He does everything Conte wants in a fullback, until he has to make a decision in the final third. Sessegnon isn’t polished, but the season-ending run he had shows he can get the job done in a pinch. As backup he learns the trade from Perisic could be a great opportunity for Sessegnon while Reguilon is sold to make room elsewhere. Royal’s play after Doherty’s injury has earned him another year in London, while Doherty’s ability to play both left and right will be a boon in a long list of fixtures.
Ideal moves: Conte goes after one of his former players in Alessandro Bastoni. Bastoni, one of the most talented young defenders in Serie A, could immediately step in to start in place of Ben Davies on the left of the back three. They share similar qualities, but Bastoni is more mobile and a better presence in the air than Davies, which helps open up the left side more in the buildup. However, Davies will not fade from the team as he would be critical depth and can also play full-back when needed, but as Conte will need to hit two depths everywhere, the center back is an important place to add. It looks like the team is going Bastoni or bust in that role, but what will happen there remains to be seen.
Adding another right back is also an area for improvement if Doherty doesn’t recover from injury as expected. If Nottingham Forest can’t agree a deal with Middlesbrough for Djed Spence, Spurs could step in, having been eyeing the talented defender for a few years.
Tottenham midfield perspective
- To stay: Oliver Skipp, Peter-Emile Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur
- Uncertain future: harry winks
- Possible output: Young Lo Celso
- Loan Applicants: Tanguy Ndombelé, Pape Sarr
Oliver Skipp has a right to feel bad, as the groin injury that has kept him out since January likely cost him a starting role in Rodrigo Bentancur’s midfield. At the time, Bentancur was struggling to catch up with England while Skipp moved forward helping to keep possession. Skipp was rewarded with a new contract to show that Conte and the backroom staff value him highly. Along with Hojbjerg and Bentancur, Skipp forms the untouchable core of Tottenham’s midfield, but things get murky after that.
Harry Winks had quite a few minutes early in Conte’s reign, but was then relegated to clean-up duties at the end of the season. Lo Celso has all the makings of a Conte ten who could back Harry Kane, but he has one foot in Villarreal as Spurs look to close the door on a failed transfer. It is possible that the team will keep Ndombele next season, as it becomes more difficult every day for someone to keep him and his salary, and Sarr had a mixed season in France while on loan at Metz. With a solid preseason, it’s possible he could stay with the team because of his ability on the ball that could make him useful, but he would see a loan move as more likely.
Ideal moves: It’s rare to look at midfield movements, as most players coming in should be okay with sitting down at least 40 per cent of the time. Adding Christian Eriksen on a free transfer is a move that makes sense, but it would also be strange if his new role was essentially to back up Harry Kane rather than set him up in every game – although when Eriksen played for Conte at Inter, he spent time behind. of two forwards, so he could also drop deeper if needed, giving Spurs a suitable way to split teams on a low block.
Another box-to-box midfielder is likely to be needed as well and Weston McKennie is a name that has bounced back to fill that void. While it would be a fun addition, adding McKennie and Bastoni feels like a summer of wild spending, even if Daniel Levy has provided Conte with additional funding. Sarr will likely determine whether or not another midfielder is needed.
Perspective of the Tottenham Attack
- To stay: Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski
- Uncertain future: Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn, Bryan Gil
- Possible output: jack-clarke
- Loan Applicants: Troy Parrot, Dane Scarlett
With Harry Kane back on board, the attack is as good as any in the league. Son is the current co-winner of the Golden Boot after a 23-goal season, while Kane fell deeper and scored 17 goals, assisting nine more. If Kulusevski can build on an exciting half-season in which he scored five goals and provided eight assists, there’s no reason why the three strikers shouldn’t keep up with Manchester City and Liverpool when healthy.
It’s a good start, but it won’t be enough in all competitions with a trio of wingers behind them who have an uncertain future. Ajax would like Bergwijn to join their attack, but as he can replace Kane at full-back or replace Kane at forward, Spurs can’t let him go without a suitable replacement. With the way he has performed in cameos, Bergwijn deserves to start somewhere, but he certainly has a role in London next season if he wants it.
Moura and Gil find themselves in more difficult situations as they have talent but do not fit into the current system. Moura’s work rate helps as an option to close out games, but the difference in the top three between him and Kulusevski is pretty drastic. Gil never got to start his life at Spurs after being bought by Nuno Espirito Santo and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him sold back to Spain.
Ideal moves: Another season where a proper backup is needed for Harry Kane. Even with the Champions League to come, Spurs are in a tough spot because Kane won’t be rotated except in cup competitions, ruling out all the best striker options. The Conte reunion train would love to find a way to get Romelu Lukaku on the roster, but it’s unlikely for multiple reasons. As for realistic forward options, potential Arsenal target Gabriel Jesus ticks a few boxes, and being able to play on the wing is a nice bonus.
Richarlison is someone who can really check both boxes. Even if Moura and Bergwijn were to leave, the Brazilian can start at center or on the wing with ease, bringing a finishing touch and a bit of smugness that winning teams need to turn a close game. It’s a different challenge than pulling Everton out of the relegation zone, but he’s fit for one of the best in the world.
However, all of these options will be expensive, in addition to what the team is looking for in defense and the addition of Perisic. Exactly how deep into his pockets is Daniel Levy willing to go?
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