Defoe reveals what he has heard about Conte’s methods from player friends

Jermain Defoe has urged Tottenham Hotspur to back Antonio Conte in the transfer market and insisted that the Italian will bring success to the club if he gets what he wants.

After Conte’s meeting with the Tottenham hierarchy this week, reports emerged that the North London club are prioritising signing a right wing-back, a central midfielder and a forward this month.

The Italian is allegedly ready to put off the pursuit of a new central defender until the summer transfer window.

Football.London’s Alasdair Gold reported on Thursday that some Tottenham players fear that Conte could walk out of the club if he is not backed sufficiently in this month’s transfer window. 

However, Gold added that the fear is not shared by the Spurs hierarchy, describing their meeting with the 52-year-old as ‘positive’. 

Defoe has admitted that he was excited when he heard of Conte’s arrival at Spurs and revealed what the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Young told him about the former Inter Milan boss.

The former Tottenham striker told talkSPORT about Conte: “You’d like to think that he’d get the opportunity to get the players he wants just to give Tottenham an opportunity to kick on.

“Everyone knows how much I love the football club and when Antonio Conte got the job I was so excited. He is an unbelievable manager with his experience.

“You’ve got to look at the stats. I looked at the running stats and in such a short space of time I could not believe the improvement, what was he doing in training?

“I messaged Lukaku and people like Ashley Young and Victor Moses who have played under Conte and they said that the players have never, ever trained so hard. But at the same time it’s enjoyable and that’s why the players are getting those numbers.

“I believe that if he gets the opportunity to bring in the players he wants then of course the club will kick on and get into that Champions League spot.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I think next summer will be the real acid test for the Spurs board on whether they are prepared to back Conte. I would expect Levy to loosen his pursue string as the Spurs chairman will be well aware of his dwindling popularity among the fan base and he will know that he can ill afford to let Conte walk away. 

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