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Alasdair Gold

Fabio Paratici setting up a crucial summer transfer overhaul for Antonio Conte and Tottenham

CelsoBall: "Did you like our winter business?"

Alasdair says: "I think the club some of the issues, specifically in moving out unhappy players who Antonio Conte had deemed not part of his plans and wanted out of the dressing room, were addressed.

"It was ruthless to a degree and showed the power the Italian now holds with Daniel Levy agreeing to farm out the two most expensive players in the club's history on loan, finally moving Dele Alli on to pastures new and sending Bryan Gil out after just six months.

"Spurs have also signed two talented players in 24-year-old Rodrigo Bentancur, a three time Serie A title winner, and 21-year-old Dejan Kulusevski, who was Serie A's young player of the year in 2020.

"Those around Conte have told me he's content with the progress made this window, although all managers will naturally always want more and he will have as well.

"He did ask specifically for a new central midfielder, which the club had not originally identified as a need, and he got one. He also got a versatile attacking midfielder in Kulusevski, who can play on the right, in a central attacking midfield role or as an auxiliary striker.

"Yet more could have been done, specifically at right wing-back and up front, and it's not a great look that after all the planning before and after the squad evaluation meeting with Conte, Fabio Paratici simply went back to his old club on the last day of the window to sign a couple of players he'd signed before.

"Both players do seem well suited to Conte's plans, but it's not the greatest look for Paratici.

"More could have been done but a world class coach like Conte has enough to work with for the remainder of the season and it sets up a key summer for Tottenham."

Ryana1996: "We hear it time and time again that the summer window will be big. What are your thoughts do you think that will be the case? The winter business suggests it will be."

Alasdair says: "I think it's the crunch one in terms of Tottenham's relationship with Antonio Conte. Some of the prep work was done in this winter window but the overhaul needs to continue in the summer if he's going to have a squad he can compete with.

"Conte has been very honest and stated it will take more than one or two transfer windows to get the club back to where it was again and then push beyond that.

"The key will be to show Conte that Spurs have ambition like him. He's admitted he needs to feel that in his career.

"Similar problems will arise if Lyon and Villarreal do not take up the purchase options on Ndombele and Lo Celso as Spurs will have to try to move them on again in the summer, although with regular football both could be easier to sell then.

"If they do move on then Spurs' wage bill will be shorn of a number of their biggest earners which will help them in the summer.

"I get the feeling there will be more departures in the summer because Conte will have identified those players he wanted out now and those who he could use until the end of the season before upgrading them."

Jprof99: "With Kulusevski being a more natural attacking midfielder do you think Conte is looking to adopt the 3-5-2?"

Alasdair says: "I think he works just as well as one of the numbers 10s behind the striker in a 3-4-3. The Swede's versatility will give Conte options in both formations."

Josh1882: "Given the supposed 'anger' surrounding our late January business, missing out on primary targets such as Traore, Diaz and Kessie, are you confident that Levy and Paratici will learn from mistakes in this window and act now to seal pre-contract agreements ahead of our rivals for the summer window?"

Alasdair says: "I think the Traore and Diaz talks were both similar in that I get the impression Spurs were used to flush out both players' preferred clubs. who were nod doubt kept well updated with the situation. Does that show some naivety on Spurs' part? Perhaps, or maybe they just felt those other clubs would not make their move at this time and they had stolen a march.

"With Kessie, he's one of a number of players who will become free agents in the summer and be able to take their lucrative pick of what's out there for him. I don't get the impression a January move was ever really in the pipeline in his plans."

JoeMST: "Is there hope that Bryan Gil will be reintegrated in the summer or will he be loaned out again and again?"

Alasdair says: "The suggestion seems to be that this loan is purely to ensure the 20-year-old gets minutes every week at a time when his development is key. Personally I would have thought a Premier League loan would have been more beneficial to continue his adaptation to the country and the football but perhaps that was never an option on the table.

"Conte will look at him again in the summer to see how much he has developed but the hope is that he will be assimilated back into the squad. He's a very talented young player, he just needs to continue to develop and get stronger."

Jifield18: "Thanks for your hard work over the transfer period! What do you think Conte thought of the window and what are his goals in the summer?"

Alasdair says: "The indications from those around him are that he is content enough with what's been done, in terms of moving on the players he doesn't want and bringing in a couple of new faces. All managers always want more and he will be no different in that respect.

"More work needs to happen in the summer but first there's plenty of football to be played and where Spurs find themselves come the end of May could play a big part in what they can do in that window."

Shippers42: "Will we be monitoring how Eriksen gets on at Brentford? If he's back playing well and healthy how realistic is it we would try and bring him back? We've never adequately replaced him."

Alasdair says: "I think a lot of clubs will be monitoring how Christian Eriksen gets on over these next four months or so. If he can return to his best then he will become a very attractive free transfer for many in the summer.

"As for Spurs, I'm not sure whether they would return for him or not. Prime Eriksen was one of the best playmakers they've had in a long, long time, but he wasn't that player for the final year or so of his time at the club.

"Antonio Conte did not seem to fancy him for the first year of his time at Inter, only using him more in the second half of last season.

"Much depends on exactly what Eriksen we get after what was such a traumatic time for him and how his body reacts to regular top level football again.

"I truly hope he's able to get back to where he was, let alone his best, because he's fought to get back to this point."

White Hot Lane: "With the incomings we now have, do you think we may look to repurpose Bergwijn at right wing-back? It seems a glaring weakness in the side."

Alasdair says: "I think if you're looking into that area of converting a winger, as they would have done with Traore, then Bergwijn and possibly Lucas Moura mark themselves out.

"Both work hard down the right flank and track back although I'm not entirely sold on whether either would be able to do the defensive tackling required.

"Much will depend on how work Conte can do with Emerson and Doherty in the weeks ahead and whether he feels he cannot get what he wants out of them offensively."

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