Antonio Conte's future as Tottenham Hotspur manager is up in the air. The Italian joined the club in November 2021, taking over after the ill-fated Nuno Espirito Santo spell.
Now, after little over a year in the job, questions have been raised over his future in N17. Conte's current contract with the Lilywhites ends at the end of this season and despite talk of a new deal being raised, nothing has been signed.
Conte has asked for backing in the transfer market, in order to push Spurs up into the Premier League elite. So far in January, only Arnaut Danjuma has joined the club and that is on a loan deal from Villarreal, albeit with an option to buy at the end of it.
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What happens in the final few days of the window and then in the second half of the season will be key and it will be interesting to see what happens to Conte, particularly given there are rumours of Mauricio Pochettino returning to Spurs.
Conte may decide, if he is not adequately backed in the transfer market, to cut ties with Spurs at the end of the season. Gary Neville believes N17 is the only place for him right now, however.
Speaking on Monday Night Football, Neville said: "Who’s going to have him now? Tell me what club in England is going to have him. Tell me are Barcelona or Real Madrid going to have him? No. What club in Germany - are Bayern Munich going to have him? No. Liverpool, Chelsea, City, Manchester United - no. My point is he is at the best club he could possibly be at this moment in time.
"There’s all these rumours coming out that he’s unhappy at the club, that he won’t sign his new contract. I look at that and I think Tottenham are very lucky to have Antonio Conte - he got him into the Champions League last season, he’s doing that job that to be fair they wanted, they’re only a few points off the Champions League, and from Conte’s point of view, what club is he going to get currently that is better than Tottenham Hotspur?
"They’re in the Champions League, they’ve got the most unbelievable stadium I think in European football, he’s signed Bissouma, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Bentancur, Romero, and I’ve probably missed one out. It’s £190million worth of signings in two windows - and that doesn’t include Kulusevski, who’s still on loan technically. £200million, so the idea that Spurs haven’t supported him is wrong, it’s a myth. I think both of them [Antonio Conte and Tottenham] should go and shake hands tomorrow, sign a deal and get themselves right because in some ways it’s like they’re wandering down the road aimlessly as if they’re not mates."
And Brazil legend Rivaldo agrees. He believes Spurs chairman Daniel Levy should offer Conte what he wants and get a new contract signed imminently.
Speaking to Betfair, he said: "The English press is confident that Tottenham won't offer a contract extension to Antonio Conte after a disappointing season so far. I don't blame the Italian that much for Spurs' poor form. There are many players in the squad who can improve and help him in the second half of the season.
"Conte is the right guy to help Spurs win titles, especially as he has the experience of winning in England with Chelsea. I hope that the team manage to produce a strong second half of season, forcing the club's board to extend his contract for a few more years."
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