Antonio Conte is going to have quite the selection headache on his hands in 2022/23 when it comes to his midfield. Upgrading in the middle of the park in January with Rodrigo Bentancur joining from Juventus, Tottenham have made a real statement ahead of the new term with Yves Bissouma arriving in the capital from Brighton & Hove Albion.
A standout player for the Seagulls over the past few seasons, notably on a couple of occasions against Spurs last term, the Mali international will give Tottenham some real quality and hopefully take the team to the next level. With four excellent options to choose from, Conte and Fabio Paratici now need to move some players on to ensure they don't have a bloated squad and then also decide if they require a more attacking option ahead of the deadline.
Here we take a look at what needs to be done in terms of incomings and outgoings.
READ MORE: Ivan Perisic's classy touch as Joe Rodon gives him his Tottenham shirt number for new season
Outgoings
Tottenham have plenty to do in regards to giving their midfield a refresh by parting with a handful of players. On the periphery of the XI since the 2020/21 campaign, Harry Winks' time in N17 does appear to be coming to an end.
Following limited minutes under Conte in the final few months of last season, the academy graduate was left out of the squad for the pre-season tour of South Korea and instead remained back at Hotspur Way to train. Linked with a move to Everton not so long ago, talk of a switch to Goodison Park has died down and it remains to be seen where he will end up.
The 26-year-old needs to move on for the sake of his career, as does fellow Spurs teammate Giovani Lo Celso. Clearly not in Conte's plans after his exit on loan in January and his omission from the squad for the pre-season tour, the Argentina international has been tipped to return to Villarreal after such a successful time on loan.
However, it's about getting the right money for the 26-year-old rather than just parting with him for the sake of it. Villarreal are not a club who regularly splashes big money on a player, with Arnaut Danjuma their record signing for £21.15million, and Daniel Levy will want to bring in as much money as possible for the midfielder given what they shelled out for him.
Fellow 2019 summer arrival Tanguy Ndombele also requires a move, although a permanent exit could prove to be rather tricky due to his underwhelming loan spell at Lyon. Clubs unfortunately aren't going to be queuing up for his services on a permanent basis following his Tottenham struggles and another loan move may be the answer to help him try and get his career back on track.
With the trio likely to move on, Conte and Paratici must decide on what comes next for both Pape Matar Sarr and Harvey White. Returning from his year on loan with Metz, Sarr has featured in both of Tottenham's pre-season games so far as the head coach and his staff take a good look at him.
The main thing Conte needs to discover is whether the Senegal international can cope with life in the Premier League and be ready to be part of his squad. If not, another loan move would be better for his development, especially with four very good options ahead of him that will result in a lack of game time.
One player who desperately needs another loan spell is White, but whether he gets one is another matter. A shock to see him not depart temporarily last season after his time with Portsmouth in 2020/21, he was a regular on the bench in the final few months due to a lack of midfield options.
As good as it is for the academy ace to be training day in, day out with Conte's players, a loan spell would be much more beneficial as he needs that experience of playing football in the EFL on a consistent basis. However, the fact he is a homegrown player could potentially lead to Spurs keeping him for the time being as their homegrown numbers have proved problematic in the past.
Incomings
Not exactly needing to do much business in midfield this summer as Spurs already boasted some very good options, one final call Conte and Paratici need to make is whether they require an attacking midfielder. Spurs fans have long called for the club to sign an attacking midfielder ever since Christian Eriksen's departure but they have so far gone without.
Tottenham's current 3-4-3 system leaves no room for an attacking midfielder in the starting XI, although a switch to 3-5-2, which the boss has utilised on a couple of occasions, would then create space for a player to take up an attacking role in front of the two central midfielders. Leicester City's James Maddison has been linked with the club this month but the Foxes will not want to part with such a key player unless they receive an offer they cannot refuse or he makes it clear he wants to leave.
A player who would help Spurs out in terms of their homegrown numbers and also add some more quality in the final third to the squad, the Lilywhites could potentially drive down the price by looking to include players in a deal if they so wish. Roma's Nicolo Zaniolo has also been mentioned regarding a move to Tottenham, with the player someone Conte and Paratici will know very well from their time in Italy.
A versatile player who can operate in a variety of attacking position, the Italian international has plenty of experience as an attacking midfielder, contributing 28 goals and ten assists from 83 games when played there. Juventus have also been linked with the 23-year-old.
READ NEXT:
Djed Spence's first words on Tottenham transfer, Ryan Sessegnon and what he will bring to Spurs
- Tottenham news and transfers LIVE: All the latest updates and rumours from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Full Tottenham Premier League fixture list for 2022/23
Lucas Moura describes his Conte talks, his Tottenham future and what Richarlison is really like
Son Heung-min explains what has already happened between him and 'quality' Richarlison
