Tottenham boss Antonio Conte is an admirer of Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to reports. While the Italian gears up for a crunch few games that could define Spurs’ season, talks will soon begin on plans for the summer and doubts remain over whether chairman Daniel Levy would be willing to cough up the necessary cash for such a coveted signing.
Conte has enough on his plate at present with only one place left to fight for in the top four. Defeat at home to Brighton last time out, and indeed the nature of it, was certainly concerning and opened the door to their rivals.
But Manchester United’s humiliating defeat against Liverpool on Tuesday night appears to have narrowed down the contenders to Spurs and Arsenal. While local bragging rights and a spot in next season’s Champions League are both crucial, those at the club would be wise to prepare for a big summer.
Conte, Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici will soon put their heads together, and The Telegraph claim that the manager is a fan of Phillips. As shown in the January transfer window, however, he is not guaranteed to be granted every transfer wish.
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While the transfer fee would be crucial, as with any deal, the prospect of moving to Tottenham over United could suit the midfielder as an Old Trafford switch would be seen by many as an act of betrayal. The likes of Rio Ferdinand and Alan Smith have trod the same path before, but Phillips may never be viewed the same again by Leeds fans if he joined up with their bitter rivals.
Levy has proven himself to be a tough operator in the transfer market, and does not always bow down and give managers the funds they want. He famously stood firm on Manchester City’s interest in Harry Kane last summer, pinning him with a colossal £200m price-tag which effectively kept him in north London.
Conte may have earned some transfer market trust since his November appointment, however. Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski were both recruited in January, and while the former has added composure and tempo to the Spurs midfield, the latter has wasted no time in racking up goals and assists.
In an ideal summer, the Lilywhites are also believed to be eyeing up a new centre-back, wing-back, midfielder, striker and goalkeeper.
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