Tottenham manager Antonio Conte in transfer stand-off with Daniel Levy over two January deals
According to reports, when the January transfer window finally opens, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte may find himself at odds with Daniel Levy over two specific deals.
As Antonio Conte prepares his squad for the final stretch of the Premier League season, it is expected that the north London club will add more quality players in the new year after a busy summer of recruitment.
Tottenham are rumored to be interested in signing a new defender after conceding 18 league goals since the beginning of the season, the most of any of the top four clubs in the league.
With only a few weeks until the start of the January transfer window, Conte may already have his targets in mind, but he may need to convince Levy to sanction a move for his preferred defensive option.
The Times reports that Conte is eager to sign Alessandro Bastoni at the turn of the year, having worked with the Inter Milan defender during his tenure as the head coach of the Serie A’s premier club.
Levy appears to be more interested in pursuing a move for RB Leipzig youngster Mohamed Simakan, with high-level internal discussions about the 22-year-old occurring in recent weeks.
Simakan is expected to make a significant move in the near future after impressing in Germany over the last two seasons, and he could end up joining Tottenham if Levy makes an official bid when the transfer window reopens.
As things stand, the player is under contract with Leipzig until the summer of 2026, so any successful deal is highly unlikely to be inexpensive.
Bastoni, meanwhile, has been linked to Tottenham since Conte’s appointment in November of last year and is under contract with Inter Milan only through the end of the upcoming season.
The uncertainty surrounding his future at the San Siro could result in a sale in the coming months if his current employers feel pressured to cash in.
However, Levy’s preference for Simakan could result in Bastoni being overlooked in the January transfer window.
It remains to be seen which direction Tottenham will take at the turn of the year, with Conte almost certain to pursue new signings as he seeks to qualify the club for next season’s Champions League by leading it to another top-four finish.
The 53-year-old manager recently stated that a handful of injuries could be the difference between meeting expectations and falling short at the end of the season.
“We have to face a difficult situation for us,” said Conte. “When you don’t have three or four players in the squad you’re in trouble. We have to manage very well this situation and overcome it together.
“When you play every three days you need to have a deep, strong squad. We have only just started our process. We are playing in the Champions League. We’re trying to improve our situation step by step, you need time and patience. I want to be honest. With my experience, we are doing well but we need the time and patience.”
Tottenham manager Antonio Conte in transfer stand-off with Daniel Levy over two January deals
