‘A clear message’ – Pundit claims Conte will make clear Spurs demand this month

Kevin Phillips believes Antonio Conte probably now realises that the Tottenham job is much more difficult than he first thought.

Tottenham’s results have improved dramatically since Conte took over at the start of November. The North London club have won three and drawn one of the Italian’s four Premier League games in charge, conceding just once and scoring seven times.

That means that Spurs have now moved up to fifth place in the table and sit just two points behind West Ham with a game in hand.

The Tottenham head coach has insisted that he has not held discussions regarding transfer targets with the club’s hierarchy and that he is still focused on assessing the players at his disposal.

However, some sources indicate that Spurs are set to have a busy January transfer window, with Conte already alleged to have made it clear to the club who he wants to be brought in.

When this was put to Phillips, the pundit claimed the 52-year-old would have already demanded that the club splash the cash next month.

The former Sunderland striker told Football Insider: “Conte sent a clear message to the board with his comments after the Mura game.

“He has had enough time now to come in and assess the squad. He has worked with them day in and day out.

“Certain players underachieved in that game against Mura. It was a terrible, horrendous performance. It shouldn’t happen to a team like Tottenham.

“There are issues there. Conte probably realises the job is bigger than he first thought. He will demand money in the January window to strengthen.

“Do they have to sell before they can buy? Only time will tell. There are issues there that need to be addressed. Bringing players in is a priority if Tottenham are to kick on next year.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Conte would have certainly had conversations with Paratici about potential transfer targets in January but that does not mean that they are fixed in stone. The targets will be modified over the next month as the Italian continues learning more about the strengths and weaknesses of different players in his squad.

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