Glenn Hoddle says Antonio Conte’s transfer outburst, after Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on New Year’s Day, is something he has already told Daniel Levy and ENIC, as he told Premier League Productions (01/01/23 at 7:15 pm).
The Spurs boss suggested that more investment is needed within Tottenham’s squad in order for them to take that next step, as Hoddle questioned why Levy would back Conte in the transfer market if he doesn’t sign a new deal.
The Italian is out-of-contract in north London in the summer, there are suggestions that could be extended by 12 months, but with Conte talking about a’ long-term’ project’, then surely you sign a long-term contract to boot?
Last January, Spurs secured the transfers of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, which helped them secure Champions League football, before their club-record transfer, amongst others, of Richarlison in the summer.
That’s proof that there has been backing, but the highly-demanding Conte is looking for more.
This does seem like a bit of a crossroads for Tottenham, as their club legend spoke about the man in the dugout, possible backing, Levy and ENIC.
“He’s not saying anything that he hasn’t said to Levy or ENIC, that’s for sure,” said Hoddle. “His message is that he feels he is getting a foundation, but in order to get to the next level, to be consistent, to be in the top four every year and win something, then he needs more money.
“He needs to get a couple of top, top players and he already has a couple of top players – I think he is frustrated, but I also think he is trying to say to people ‘look there are seven or eight players here I can build on, but it’s not a finished article’.
“The problem is for Tottenham, are they really going to give him a lot of money to go and get a couple of really special players if he’s not going to sign a contract? So, that is a real chicken in an egg. Who is going to go first? If he signs the contract, will Daniel Levy go ‘right then, we will give you the money’? Now they have to start planning for that, anyway. But you can’t do that if the manager is going to leave. The process and project that he talks about, he’s not really had that at any club if I am really frank.
“It’s a real problem for Daniel Levy. I wouldn’t blame him to say ‘hang on a minute, you sign and we will back you’ – I don’t know what goes first, whether Daniel gives him that money. Why would you give him that money to a manager that could easily walk at the end of the season?”
CONTE DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE IN JANUARY
Either Conte signs a new deal, or heads for the exit door so Spurs can build ‘long-term’.
This uncertainty about the club’s future and which direction it’s headed is only proving to be harmful, and if it continues like this, then the damage will be felt after Conte’s gone.
For some, Joe Lewis needs to sell up and Levy needs to head for the exit door in order for things to change because that’s Conte – and previously Jose Mourinho – two trophy-laden coaches – that are having issues at Spurs.
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