Antonio Conte has revealed he clashed with Tottenham’s managing director Fabio Paratici over Romelu Lukaku and Dejan Kulusevski while the Italians were rivals in Serie A.
Conte and Paratici first worked together over a decade ago at Juventus and have been reunited at Spurs, raiding their former club to sign Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur in January.
But Conte revealed they were at loggerheads in the transfer market when Paratici was Juve's sporting director and he was coaching Inter Milan.
According to Conte, Paratici blocked his attempt to sign Kulusevski for Inter and tried to sign Lukaku for Juve before the Belgian joined Conte’s side from Manchester United in summer 2019.
Asked if he was surprised by Kulusevski’s performance in Saturday’s 3-2 win at Manchester City, when the 21-year-old Swede bagged a goal and an assist on his full debut, Conte told Standard Sport: “No, he didn’t surprise me.
“Because I asked for him when I was at Inter from Juventus. I opened the idea with Paratici. But he wanted to cut me [out of the deal], not to reinforce Juventus, you understand, but only to damage myself!
“Paratici also tried with Lukaku, to buy Lukaku for Juventus because he knew very well that I like him and wanted him in my team. It was the same for Kulusevski. But at that time, maybe Juventus were stronger than us in the transfer market.”
Conte added: “When you go to sign players here in England, you have to check many aspects. I continue to repeat this, because this is the top league and it’s very difficult to play. It’s not for all, this league.
“If you play in this league, you can play in every league. But it doesn’t mean if you play in another league, you can come here to play. I think we have to pay great attention [to signings].
“Bentancur and Kulusevski are two good signings, two good prospects for the philosophy of the club. Two good players to develop. But players that are ready now. Ready to play and to help us.”
