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5 potential January signings for Antonio Conte at Tottenham
Tottenham have wasted no time in appointing Antonio Conte as their new head coach, with rumours already flying around about the potential identity of his first signings.
Conte was strongly linked with Spurs back in the summer but a messy, protracted search for someone to sit in the hot seat ended up with Nuno Espirito Santo getting the job instead. Despite a strong start – he won the Manager of the Month award for August – things quickly went sour for Nuno and he was dismissed after last weekend’s 3-0 home loss to Manchester United.
Conte is known for demanding a large amount of money to spend, with his record of five league titles indicating it will be worth Daniel Levy loosening the purse-strings for the Italian. Reports indicate Conte wants three or four new faces to arrive during the next transfer window with other sources claiming as many as half a dozen arrivals might be desired by the club.
Here are five potential January signings that Tottenham could bring in for Antonio Conte.
5 potential January signings for Antonio Conte at Tottenham
Lautaro Martinez (Inter)
Amid the swirling speculation surrounding Harry Kane over the summer, Martinez was linked as a top target for Spurs to boost their attacking options.
Inter sold Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea in the end instead, but the Serie A champions might still need to move more big names on to address their financial issues. Conte loves his attackers to press from the front and Martinez played that part to perfection as the Nerazzurri finally ended the long run of league titles secured by Juventus.
Naturally, much of the transfer dealings at Spurs will depend on the future of star man Kane. But Martinez could play as either a partner for the England captain or as a replacement if he leaves.
Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina)
Vlahovic is another Serie A striker who was linked with Tottenham in the summer and speculation about his future is likely to resurface with Conte now installed in the dugout. The Serbia international is a physical presence who looks to be tailor-made for the Premier League, while at 21 he has plenty of years to continue his impressive recent development.
After hitting 21 Serie A goals for the Viola last term, Vlahovic has kept up his fine form into the fresh campaign with eight more strikes in the league alone so far in 2021-22. A recent hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Spezia maintained a hot streak for the striker, who also hit three goals in two games for his country during the October international break.
Vlahovic is also being linked with Manchester City, so Spurs might need to move quickly to add him to their list of signings under Antonio Conte.
Franck Kessie (Milan)
With Conte having spent most of his career in Italy, it is no surprise most of the main names being linked as his potential Tottenham targets play their football in Serie A.
Reports claim midfielder Kessie is on his shopping list, with the Ivory Coast international set to be a free agent at the end of the current season. With Kessie seemingly unwilling to extend his deal at San Siro, Milan face a decision over whether to keep him for their title challenge or cash in while they can in January.
Kessie combines a strong physical approach to the game with silky skills on the ball. He is also a reliable penalty taker, though if Kane stays at Spurs he might not get a chance to take many.
Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Barcelona are also said to be interested in Kessie along with the newly rich Newcastle United, so he is a player in high demand.
Manuel Lazzari (Lazio)
Conte usually lines up his teams with wing-backs, but Spurs do not appear to have elite options in this department although Emerson Royal has shown promise since arriving from Barcelona.
Bringing in Lazzari, who can operate anywhere down the right flank, might therefore be a smart move if Conte plans to introduce his typical system at Tottenham.
One potential sticking point over a deal for Lazzari could be that the 27-year-old recently became a father for the first time, though a move to London might still be appealing.
Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus)
Centre-back is another area where Tottenham need signings if Antonio Conte is to build a solid foundation at the back, with De Ligt among the defenders being linked with a Spurs switch. The 22-year-old has not had the best time since joining Juve from Ajax, with a few error-strewn performances marking his first few weeks at the club, though he has since improved a lot.
Like many of Europe’s elite clubs, Juve need to raise funds fast and allowing De Ligt – who earns a reported £280,000 a week – could be seen as a way to boost their financial situation. De Ligt’s agent is Mino Raiola, which could make a deal complicated, and the Netherlands international is said to have been offered to both Chelsea and Real Madrid already.
Landing De Ligt to play under Conte would be a huge statement of intent for Spurs.
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