Speaking on the Transfer Window Podcast, Duncan Castles has shared some insight into how Antonio Conte feels about the signings of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur at Tottenham.
Spurs signed the Juventus duo on deadline day, but after a month of seemingly chasing other targets, it would be fair to assume that these two players weren’t Conte’s first choice.
Castles says that he asked someone close to Conte about these signings, and he admitted that he wasn’t the manager’s number one targets, although he did state that the Italian did approve these signings.
What’s been said?
Castles shared some insight into how this business has been received at Spurs and in Italy.
“Paratici had to get something done in order to turn something that was looking like an absolutely disastrous window into something that had a bit of a glow of success about it,” Castles said.
“But If you talk to people in Italy about those deals he’s done for Dejan Kulusevski, which is an initial 18-month loan €3m this season and €7m next season with an obligatory purchase if he meets certain goals at Tottenham, which would be a further €35m, and Bentancur who is €19m guaranteed and another €6m in performance-related variables.
“They will say that Allegri was happy to sacrifice both of these players and there is a big question mark over Bentancur who was, when he came to Juventus, talked about as a midfielder who would be a starter for them for the next decade, but he’s started just 57% of games in a weak midfield and Allegri was happy to let him go.
“I asked someone close to Conte whether or not he was happy with those deals and he said ‘look, nobody comes to Tottenham without Antonio’s approval, and I asked if they were first-choice and he said ‘no, they were not first-choice.’”
Better than nothing
Kulusevski and Bentancur may not have been the players that Spurs wanted at the beginning of the month, but their arrivals are better than nothing.
Tottenham desperately needed to bolster their squad last month, and they headed into deadline day in serious danger of failing to make any signings.
Tottenham’s business last month was far from ideal, but at least they managed to get two bodies through the door.
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