Former Tottenham Hotspur full-back Alan Hutton has claimed that the club must be prioritising a new deal for Antonio Conte.
Earlier this month, Football Insider reported that Spurs were in talks with Conte over an improved deal worth £20m a year – a contract that would make him the best-paid manager in the Premier League.
The same source suggested that executives at the club were growing increasingly confident that the 53-year-old would remain put in N17.
His current contract runs until the end of the season, and with links to the Juventus job persisting, his future in north London remains uncertain.
Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton was adamant that tying Conte down could make Spurs contenders going forward.
He said: “This is the main target for Tottenham moving forward.
“I’ve always said he’s an elite manager. It’s a long-term process, it’s not an easy fix.
“Things aren’t going to change overnight, so to tie him down to a long-term deal means he can solely focus on Tottenham.
“He’s done a great job so far. There were rumours circulating about Juventus, and what was happening there.
“It would squash all of that and let him concentrate on the job at Spurs. That’ll be the main thing for Daniel Levy and allowing the club to move forward.”
TIF Thoughts on Conte and Tottenham…
Do you expect Conte to stay at Spurs?Yes
No
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Conte’s average term as manager of a club works out at just over 14 months (as per Transfermarkt) and the erratic nature of his career could be a worry for Tottenham fans.
Many may think the serial winner is just the man to end what will be a 15-year wait for a trophy by the time prizes are handed out this season, but he could well be at the Lilywhites for a limited period of time.
However, considering the substantial backing of over £100m in the summer, the former Chelsea coach could be persuaded to hang around – but the club will surely wish to have his future resolved sooner rather than later to remove any uncertainty.