Tottenham Hotspur: Club heading into pivotal period under Antonio Conte

With the World Cup in Qatar now done and dusted, Tottenham Hotspur fans can turn their attentions to what 2023 may have in store for the club.

Antonio Conte’s side are firmly in the mix for a top four finish in the Premier League and that will be the minimum he will expect when next May comes around.

Leading bookmakers fancy their chances of achieving the feat, although the battle could be fierce given the number of clubs currently in contention.

The sportsbooks listed at betyou.ie have tipped Manchester City and Arsenal to claim two of the four spots following their excellent form during the early part of the campaign.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United are viewed as Tottenham’s main rivals to finish in the top four, with Chelsea also in the running.

With Champions League qualification up for grabs, Conte will undoubtedly be focusing on the Premier League as the season progresses.

A home draw against Portsmouth in the third round of the FA Cup in January gives Conte the opportunity to rotate his squad a little.

Republic of Ireland full-back Matt Doherty will be among the players hoping to start the game after struggling to nail down a regular first team berth this season.

Conte will also have one eye on Tottenham’s last 16 Champions League tie against AC Milan, and may well be dreaming of further progress in the competition.

Several of the fancied teams have been drawn against each other, which potentially opens the door for one of the outsiders to lift the prestigious trophy.

Read on as we assess the current state of play at Tottenham, starting with a look at Conte’s situation and whether the club can keep him happy.

Tottenham must give Conte what he wants

Tottenham have offered Conte a £1 million per year salary increase to keep him in London but he is yet to sign a new deal.

Conte wants assurances that the club will back him in the transfer market and previous history suggests they can ill afford not to if they want to retain his services.

The Italian can be pretty volatile if he feels a club is failing to back him and Tottenham must demonstrate that their ambitions match his.

There is also Conte’s family to consider, who have yet to join him permanently in London due to the uncertainty surrounding his future.

Given his status as an elite-level manager, Tottenham must pull out all the stops to ensure Conte remains with the club for many years to come.

Kane stalling on new deal is concerning

There is a feeling amongst the Tottenham fanbase that Harry Kane’s future at the club is linked to how the Conte situation will unfold.

The 29-year-old is yet to renew his deal which expires in 2024, sparking talk that he is eyeing a big money transfer away from Tottenham.

Kane previously saw a move to Manchester City fall through and it is unlikely they will return for him now Erling Braut Haaland is in their ranks.

However, reported interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester United could be difficult for Kane to resist if either club makes a move for him.

Given the risks attached in trying to find a suitable replacement, Tottenham must make sure they get Kane to commit his future to the club.

January transfer window crucial to Tottenham’s hopes

The World Cup break has provided Tottenham with an ideal opportunity to evaluate what moves they need to make during the January transfer window.

Several players have been linked with the north London giants including Harry Maguire, Sofyan Amrabat, Weston McKennie, Isco and Randal Kolo Muani.

Milan Skriniar is another player reportedly on Tottenham’s radar, and a move for him would make sense given Conte knows him from their together at Inter Milan.

While it is unreasonable to expect Tottenham to make wholesale additions to their squad, a couple of quality signings could be the difference between success and failure this season.

It would be no surprise to see Tottenham ship out some of their fringe players, although Doherty is unlikely to be one of them after impressing in the recent friendly matches.

Top four and silverware the minimum requirement?

While Tottenham are not out of the Premier League title race, it is probably unrealistic to expect them to claim top spot this season.

However, finishing inside the top four is undoubtedly not beyond them, although the race may well go right down to the wire.

Arsenal and Man City look nailed on to finish inside the top four, which leaves Tottenham battling with four other clubs for the remaining two berths.

Newcastle could be dangerous given the improvements they have made, but it is debatable whether their squad is strong enough to fend off their rivals.

Liverpool and Chelsea were disappointing during the early part of the campaign and will be eager to step up their form during the rest of the season.

The Reds will probably emerge as the biggest threat to Tottenham’s hopes of a top four finish alongside Manchester United.

The Red Devils have steadily gained momentum under manager Erik ten Hag and will fancy their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

Despite this, Tottenham look a good bet to hang onto their place in the top four and secure a spot in UEFA’s top club competition for 2023/24.

While winning the prestigious trophy this time around is hugely unlikely, Tottenham have a realistic chance of getting their hands on the FA Cup.

They should have little difficulty progressing past Portsmouth in the third round and are more than capable of going all the way to Wembley Stadium in May.

Finishing in the top four and winning a trophy would be a solid return for Tottenham this season and demonstrate that the club is heading in the right direction.

Tottenham predictions: Premier League (3rd), Champions League (QF), FA Cup (winners), Carabao Cup (R3).