"Antonio Conte will be gone" - Perry Groves believes Tottenham Hotspur should be doing 'everything they can' to keep Conte happy
According to Perry Groves from talkSPORT, Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte could leave the club if not backed in the transfer window. The January transfer window has been a disappointing one so far for Spurs and their fans. They have made no signings while clearing out some academy players like Dilan Markanday.
Much was expected when Conte was signed as manager in November. Given his history at different clubs, it was clear that major investment would be required in the squad starting this January. However, the Spurs board have so far failed to deliver.
Spurs were linked with Adama Traore and Luis Diaz in recent weeks. However, Traore decided to go to Barcelona while Diaz is reportedly set to join Liverpool. They are currently being linked with Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus and Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina.
#THFC Dejan Kulusevski deal. Tottenham are offering loan with buy option clause, that could become mandatory under certain conditions during 6 month loan - around €30m. ⚪️ #THFC
Juventus have not accepted yet as they ask for 100% mandatory clause - around €40m. Talks on. @SkySport
Speaking about the situation at Spurs on talkSPORT, Groves said:
“Antonio Conte said ‘I spoke to Daniel Levy, I said I would give him my report after a month, he said no, it’s going to be two months.’ He gave it to him two months and they are the players I want gone.”
He talked about how Conte's previous clubs backed him for success. Groves said:
"Levy has got a little bit of previous with [Mauricio] Pochettino where he didn’t get players out that Pochettino wanted gone. If that happens, and if Spurs don’t sign anybody in this transfer window, Antonio Conte will be gone. He’s got previous, he’s got previous at Juventus, he’s got previous at Inter Milan."
He added:
“At Chelsea he sulked because, it wasn’t his choice of players going in, but that was never going to be the case anyway, but he still wanted that battle."
"He’s got bang average players" - Perry Groves on Antonio Conte's squad at Tottenham Hotspur
Groves also talked about Conte's record since joining Tottenham in November. He has lost just one game in 10 in the Premier League so far. According to Groves, he has done so with "bang average players." Hence, he needs signings in the January transfer window.
Antonio Conte is convinced he is an important player and perfect for his ideas and the Premier League, the same as Fabio Paratici.✍️Tottenham Hotspur are getting closer to signing Sofyan Amrabat.
🧩Amrabat is the main option for Spurs.
🇮🇹Antonio Conte is convinced he is an important player and perfect for his ideas and the Premier League, the same as Fabio Paratici.
#THFC | #COYS
https://t.co/6RahIoJu2G
Groves said:
“If I were Spurs fans, I’d be panicking of the long-term future of my club, they’ve got an elite manager, he’s an elite manager, and he will change the culture at that football club."
Groves added:
“He’s got bang average players there at the moment, and he’s done okay, was it one defeat in ten wasn’t it? I think they’ve won four, drawn one at home in the Premier League so he is making it with a average bunch of players."
Groves finally talked about the need to keep Conte happy and how Tottenham might struggle if the board doesn't deliver. He said:
“They should be doing everything they can to keep that manager happy [the Spurs hierarchy]. I think they would be panicking a bit [Tottenham fans], he would haven’t gone there unless he had assurances that they were going to spend money."
He concluded by saying:
“They are really going to be struggling if they don’t get two or three players in this transfer window.”