According to The Athletic, sources close to Tottenham strongly believe Antonio Conte will not be in charge of Spurs next season.
What’s the story?
Well, this surely wouldn’t come as a surprise to Tottenham fans, following the Italian’s comments after the 1-0 defeat to Burnley.
The Athletic believe Conte will walk away from N17, although he is not expected to depart soon.
An exit from Hotspur Way seems far more likely in the summer, as it would damage the 52-year-old’s reputation if he quit after accepting the job as recently as November.
If Conte resigned, it could also put future employers off – however, The Athletic state that he has enough credit in his managerial bank to not let this affect him.
Interestingly, it is also said that the £250,000-a-week man wants to prove he can succeed at a club who do not have a huge transfer budget, or a reputation as one of the most successful clubs in the country.
Tottenham will find life very hard if Antonio Conte leaves
If the ex-Chelsea boss walks away from Spurs, it will cause plenty of issues for Tottenham and Daniel Levy.
Above all, we feel it would make the task of finding a replacement incredibly difficult.
Conte is one of the best managers on the planet, and if he cannot succeed at Spurs, then other coaches may be put off by the prospect of taking over.
The curse that hangs over Tottenham has seen off the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, José Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo, and if Conte follows the trio in leaving, we have no idea where Spurs turn next.
In our view, Levy will have to entrust an up-and-coming coach like Graham Potter with the reins if Conte goes, rather than hire another big name.
Even then, someone like Potter would be more than entitled to have apprehensions over accepting the role – Spurs really are in a bit of a mess, to say the least.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
