Tottenham boss Antonio Conte plans January transfer talks as two key positions eyed
Antonio Conte satisfied despite stalemate
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Tottenham boss Antonio Conte is reportedly plotting crunch January transfer talks with sporting director Fabio Paratici as two key positions look to be strengthened during the window. The Spurs board allegedly promised the Italian money to spend in January, with a number of Serie A targets believed to be on their hit list.
Two games into his Spurs tenure, Conte is yet to blow an opposition team away.
Nevertheless, one win and one draw is an improvement from the form Tottenham showed during Nuno Espirito Santo’s final weeks.
Luring the Italian to north London was generally seen as a tremendous coup by envious onlookers, but it is likely to come at a price, both in terms of wages and transfer commitments.
Conte has developed a fairly distinctive identity wherever he has gone, meaning he will need investment to build the Tottenham team in his own image.
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As such, himself and Paratici are preparing to hold crunch talks in the lead-up to the January window after using the early weeks to assess the squad.
“He [Conte] wants to trust his team, and then in December he will decide together with Fabio Paratici what kind of players they need,” Fabrizio Romano told the Here We Go podcast.
“I would say striker and midfielder are the key positions right now, and let’s see if they also want to go for a centre-back.
“Antonio Conte always plays with three central defenders, but the next steps are not decided yet.”
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On the topic of a central midfielder, Romano also stated that Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele are being monitored closely ahead of January, with a change in mentality needed.
Both stars have found consistent opportunities hard to come by this campaign, and if Conte does not like what he sees in training, their Spurs careers could be in serious jeopardy.
The likes of Franck Kessie have been linked with Tottenham in recent weeks, along with a host of other clubs as his contract dispute continues to bubble on with AC Milan.
The issue of a central striker is also a delicate one, given the importance of talisman Harry Kane and his side-kick Son Heung-min.
Aside from those two, however, Spurs are markedly short for cover, meaning the likes of Dusan Vlahovic could make the switch from Italy over the next few weeks.
Arsenal are also showing interest in the Fiorentina frontman, so a transfer tug-of-war could soon be on the cards between the fierce local rivals.
Signing such a talented, and presumably expensive, striker could also come in handy further down the line if Kane eventually moves on to pastures new.
The England captain was heavily linked to Manchester City during the summer, and ESPN claim that they are preparing to table another bid when the window re-opens.
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