Antonio Conte has hinted that he would like to sign a playmaker in the summer so that Harry Kane can primarily function as a number nine instead of dropping deep next season.
Kane has shown over the course of the last seven years that he is a complete centre-forward. Not only is the Tottenham man’s goalscoring record up there with the best but his hold up play and work rate is also second to none.
Over the last couple of years, the 28-year-old has also been showcasing his world-class vision and passing ability by dropping deep more often.
Kane has become Tottenham’s creator-in-chief, with David Ginola even comparing the striker’s playmaking ability to Diego Maradona after the Lilywhites’ 5-1 win over Newcastle (Sky Sports).
When asked about the comparison with the Argentine legend, Conte told Football.London: “I tell you one thing that is very curious. When I was playing with Lecce and [Zbigniew] Boniek was the manager, my role was No.4, to mark man to man the No.10. I was lucky, or maybe not lucky, to mark Maradona when Napoli played Lecce.
“We lost 3-2 but I scored! My first goal in Serie A. When I was only 19 years old! It was the last season for Diego in Naples but for sure this game is impressed in my mind because I marked him and I scored. I was very happy, despite the defeat.
“They are two different players, honestly. Maradona was a No.10, not a No.9. Harry, he was born a striker, however, he has the talent and quality to play like a No.10 with another striker in front of him, but I like to have him as a striker and then eventually another No.10. Two different players with different characteristics.”
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Conte went on to reiterate that he would prefer to see Kane playing closer to the opposition goal given the characteristics that he possesses but admitted that the striker’s ability to drop deep makes his side’s attacks more unpredictable.
When asked if the England captain was the only world-class number nine and number ten combined in world football, he responded: “It depends on the characteristics of the players. For example [Robert] Lewandowski is a No.9 in my opinion. [Karim] Benzema sometimes also becomes No.10 because he likes to come back to receive the ball. Benzema is a player that is a top-class striker and also has the characteristic to also go back and make an assist like Harry.
“It depends on the characteristic. In the past, the No.9 was the No.9, a striker. Now in the last period, there is the false nine who sometimes drops. Also, [Diego] Jota when he plays with Liverpool, he drops, and [Sadio] Mane and [Mohamed] Salah become the strikers. It depends on the characteristics of the players and a good coach has to exploit those. You have to try to link your idea with the characteristics of the players.
“Honestly I prefer Harry like a No.9, because when he stays into the box or the edge of the box he has great quality, right, left, also with a header, he has great potential, but sometimes when he goes back and creates space for Sonny, Bergwijn, Kulusevski and Lucas, and also the wing-backs. It’s important to have different options, otherwise, you are predictable, and in modern football, your team has to be unpredictable.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Christian Eriksen would fit the bill for the kind of playmaker that Conte is referring to. The Dane’s vision and passing are second to none when given time and space on the ball.
If he continues playing at the level that he is now, I would be surprised if Spurs are not tempted to make an offer to the 30-year-old, particularly given that he is available on a free transfer and understands Conte’s system.
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