Tottenham want to be competing with the best, as soon as they can. After their top four finish in the last campaign, next season will be a big opportunity for Antonio Conte to help his side climb the Premier League table and end Spurs' 14-year trophy drought.
Daniel Levy brought Conte in and the Italian has already had a great impact on his new side. This summer transfer window is arguably the biggest in years, with it being a key chance for the Lilywhites to strengthen their squad, ahead of their first pre-season under the 52-year-old.
The Lilywhites have already begun their business, with three deals already completed. Fraser Forster followed the signing of Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma became Tottenham's third signing of the summer.
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The trio of arrivals will all bring individual qualities which will benefit Conte and his current squad. The Italian will hope the three signings will settle in well and adapt quickly, like Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur did after their moves in January.
Last season, Liverpool and Man City finished 20 points ahead of Spurs and the gap in quality was clear. This means there is a lot of work that needs to be done for the Italian to help Tottenham get to that level, especially with Erling Haaland signing for the Manchester side and Darwin Nunez now playing under Jurgen Klopp.
Speaking on behalf of 888sport, Brad Friedel highlighted just how difficult it is to lift the Premier League trophy. "The Premier League title is hard to win, especially when you’re going up against a team like Manchester City who are managed by Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest managers of all time," he admitted.
"Then you also have Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United that are incredible clubs with big, big budgets as well. Then you also have the nature of the Premier League, where you can lose to the team on the bottom on any given day – it’s the most competitive league in the world."
England's top flight never fails to throw up twists and turns throughout the season, but Tottenham need to focus on keeping at a consistently high level throughout the next campaign, to give them the best chance of success. Friedel revealed what he believes success looks like at his former club.
"Success for Spurs over the next few years is to continue getting into the Champions League. If they can have that one remarkable season where they win the league because everything falls into place then that would be incredible," he said.
As the former goalkeeper alluded to, Tottenham do need some silverware and they will have plenty of opportunity to end their drought, next season. "The club is that desperate to win a trophy that I don’t think it matters if it’s the League Cup, or FA Cup, or Premier League," Friedel added.
"The job that Conte has done since he’s come in has been fun to watch. A lot of it is defensive but tactically his teams are set up so well and the players are behind him."
This transfer window has already been a pleasant change for Spurs fans to watch, as supporters are used to the Lilywhites leaving much of their transfer business to the final day. "They have so far got some business done early, which is not something Spurs usually do and this reflects a good relationship between the sporting director, Conte and the board," Friedel explained.
"So the signs look good but it’s essential they stay in the top four because that gives them a budget to build." Champions League football not only gives Tottenham the 'budget to build', it also helps in attractive potential new players to N17.
The 51-year-old did admit he believes Spurs need to "shore up a little bit" in defence, "to be competing at the very top" but the ex-Tottenham shot stopper was full of praise for Hugo Lloris and the impact he is still having on his side. "Lloris has had an incredible career and has been at Tottenham for over ten years now," Friedel said.
"I think people around the game respect him highly. He is very calm, reliable and consistent, a good team-mate and quiet leader. He’s humble and you know exactly what you’re going to get with Hugo.
"He has played in some of the very biggest games, both in club football and internationally, so you have an unflappable goalkeeper who occasionally pulls off a spectacular save. If he does make a mistake he’s experienced enough and has the mentality to deal with it very well," he added.
There is still a long way to go before Tottenham are in a position to compete with the likes of Man City and Liverpool but with some of the squad players they already have, plus a number of new arrivals this summer, things can only keep improving.
Brad Friedel, was speaking on behalf of 888sport. Head to 888sport for the latest Premier League odds.
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