Journalist Ben Jacobs thinks Antonio Conte will sign a new deal at Tottenham Hotspur.
It was a monumental appointment at the time when Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici convinced Conte to replace Nuno Espirito Santo last year, and it certainly paid off with Tottenham managing to secure Champions League football for the first time in two years.
The feel-good factor has continued this summer at Spurs, with an influx of new arrivals that will add depth and competition for places all over the pitch, and with the Italian said to be happy with what’s happened over the summer, he could well soon sign a contract extension, according to Jacobs.
Speaking on The Spurs Watch’s Twitter Space, Jacobs said: “He’s already said that he’s got absolutely no problem extending his Tottenham contract if things progress, and he’s not overly fussed about the money side of things. Any manager may say that in public and who knows what they’re negotiating privately, but all signs point to the fact that he will sign.
Will Conte sign a contract extension?
Yes!
No!
“It won’t necessarily be just about the money, but his investment in the project and vice-versa, but the key thing as I said before, is even Conte’s alluded to the fact that he’ll sign and it won’t be a problem – if things progress. And things are at the moment, and from Tottenham’s point of view, that’s why they’ll want him to sign sooner rather than later to stabilise and consolidate things and so on.
“Because if you get to the back end of the season and Tottenham are not in the Champions League race – even though that seems at the moment like a very extreme perspective and an unlikely one as well, then who knows? Because like I said before, that’s just Premier League football.
“I do think, only my personal view, that he will sign a new deal. There’s no reason not to. The club hierarchy are very happy with his style, they’re very happy with his role now in the window and recruitment side of things, they’re very happy with his relationship with the football department and they’re very happy with his man-management.”
TIF Thoughts on Conte’s future…
It certainly seems as if Conte has fully bought into the culture at Spurs judging by the way he celebrated and was so emotionally involved in their 2-2 draw on Sunday as he squared up to Thomas Tuchel on more than one occasion.
If Spurs and Levy continue to back Conte on the pitch and he keeps bringing about good results, there appears to be no reason as to why he would even think about leaving, but the real questions will come when one of them doesn’t hold up their side of the bargain as it could lead to a quick descent into turmoil, just as what happened towards the end of the Italian’s tenure as Chelsea boss.