Former Chelsea player and manager Glenn Hoddle has warned Tottenham Hotspur that players might not want to join the club in the transfer market because of the uncertainty of Antonio Conte’s future.
The Tottenham legend compared the situation to Chelsea signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer when they had Thomas Tuchel in the Stamford Bridge dugout.
Hoddle thinks Aubameyang only joined Chelsea because of Tuchel, yet weeks after the forward joined, Tuchel was sacked and now the 33-year-old is struggling.
Conte’s current contract runs out in the summer, with the Italian sending a transfer plea to the likes of Daniel Levy after their defeat to Aston Villa on New Year’s Day.
But if Spurs feel that they need higher-quality players to go to the next level, then surely those players need to walk into an environment that displays a long-term plan, that’s clearly not the case in north London.
Not only is there doubt about Conte’s future, but Harry Kane’s current deal has less than 18 months to left, either way, Hoddle thinks that could be off-putting for potential transfer targets, as he told MatchDay Extra on Premier League Productions (01/01/23 at 7:20 pm).
“I know it’s different circumstances, but there is the situation with Aubameyang and Tuchel,” said Hoddle. “He was signed because he was enticed with the man. I have worked with you before. You know me. He has gone to Chelsea. And he (Tuchel) is gone.
“Now you aren’t seeing the best of Aubameyang, for whatever reason. There is a big reason, I think, that’s because Tuchel left.
“That could very much be in people’s minds. I am not going to commit to come to Tottenham, even if you are a really top player, because I don’t know if the manager is going to be there at the end of the season, so there are so many different scenarios.”
TOTTENHAM AT A CROSSROADS
Daniel Levy has another trophy-laden coach in the dugout, yet those same old issues are rearing their ugly head.
During the past two transfer windows, Conte has been backed, so in that sense, he can’t complain, but he clearly feels there is still another step up.
Well, the winter transfer window is wide open and if Spurs don’t secure the business that Conte wants, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s no longer at the club at the end of the season.
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