If you told Tottenham Hotspur fans at the start of August that they would still be in the hunt for Champions League football with five games to go, they would have bitten your hand off, but the path the North Londoners have taken to potentially reach the promised land of the top four has been a strange one. Inconsistency has plagued the last few campaigns since moving into their new home ground and the club suffered a real identity crisis under both José Mourinho and Nuno Espírito Santo.
Beaten in the League Cup final after parting ways with Mourinho just days before kick-off at Wembley, the club turned to Nuno to try and lay the foundations for a real trophy pursuit. With speculation mounting each week that Harry Kane would join Manchester City, Nuno’s good start was overshadowed but when the window shut and the season got going, Kane stayed but the cracks inevitably appeared.
Tottenham showed their true colours after an initial honeymoon period and Nuno was relieved of his duties by October. Just a few months into his job and with options looking few and far between, Daniel Levy pulled a cat out the bag and managed to appoint Antonio Conte. The Italian won Serie A last season with Inter Milan but noticed straight away how much work there is to do. If Conte is to turn this side into Premier League favourites on the sports betting exchange his squad needs serious investment. Let’s take a look at a few players Conte could sign this summer to improve his Spurs team.
Max Aarons
With the right-back position still a contentious one and Spurs facing difficulty registering homegrown talent, a move for Norwich City’s Max Aarons ticks all the boxes on paper. Neither Emerson Royal or Matt Doherty have been able to establish themselves as the main right-back under Conte, and with one likely to move on this summer it would make sense to swoop in on the Canaries squad that is likely to be relegated.
Having sacrificed a year of his development to play in the Championship before, it’s unlikely Aarons will want to do the same again, and working under a coach like Conte who can get the best out of the 22-year-old’s clear potential, he could well be covering the right flank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for years to come.
Christian Eriksen
What a remarkable story Christian Eriksen has been on over the last 12 months. The Danish international suffered a cardiac arrest at the Euros last summer but has miraculously returned to the pitch this season with Brentford. While not quite the catalyst he was when he initially left Spurs for Inter Milan in January 2020, he has been a welcome addition to Thomas Frank’s entertaining side and a creative spark that could really benefit Conte should he re-sign the 30-year-old. Eriksen worked with the Italian before when they won the league and although he is just getting up to scratch with his fitness, the talent is still clear to see and the Dane would slot in nicely in an attacking midfield role.
Florian Grillitsch
Those that know Conte’s style will know how much he values versatility. Throughout the season a player might be asked to play in a variety of positions so Florian Grillitsch, currently of Bundesliga club Hoffenheim, could be exactly what he needs. The Austrian can play as a centre-back or in front of the defence and with a tall, powerful build, looks to be a significant upgrade on Eric Dier and Harry Winks. With his contract up in the summer, this move could well be a steal for Conte.
