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Football London
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Emma de Duve

Gus Poyet reveals how far Tottenham can go if Antonio Conte seals dream January transfers

Gus Poyet has revealed where he thinks Tottenham can finish the season if Antonio Conte is backed during this transfer window.

Spurs are yet to bring any new players to N17 and the only business that has been done is three loans and one permanent deal, all for outgoing academy players.

Since the arrival of Conte, there have been improvements seen both on and off the pitch and the Lilywhites are now seventh in the Premier League, two points off the top four but with two games in hand.

However, there are fresh faces needed to help them bridge the gap in quality that has been evident against the likes of Chelsea.

There have been a number of players linked with both incomings and outgoings for Spurs and ex-Lilywhites player Poyet has explained where he thinks his former side can finish the season - so long as Conte is given the signings he wants.

"If you back him [Conte], I'm not saying back him with crazy money but back him in a way that you bring in players with characteristics that he wants, I think he will finish top four, no doubt," Poyet said when speaking to bettingexpert.

"Antonio is going to tell you how it is. What is white is white, what is black is black.

"He said that the team is not good enough to compete against the top teams and he wants better players.

"You give me better players - easier. You don't give me, I keep working. And that's the truth. People don't like it, especially nowadays where we're living in a world where we cannot say the truth.

"If he finishes top four, it will be amazing, no doubt. 100 percent sure."

Tottenham haven't finished in the top four for the last two seasons and that will be one of their aims this season, so they can get back to playing Champions League football.

Conte is a world-class manager and has proven his success with league titles won with Chelsea, Juventus and Inter Milan, which the Lilywhites will hope the Italian can repeat in N17, to end their almost 14-year trophy drought.

"With Spurs, it's about what Conte wants and we don't know. I promise you, we don't," Poyet added.

"It will be something that we think 'oh maybe he'll bring this and that' and then a player will arrive and you will say, 'oh I was not expecting that in the position'."

Conte has already put his stamp on the Tottenham side with a change in formation, from what it was under Nuno Espirito Santo, and players that many fans had written off are already improving.

The 52-year-old's past managerial roles have seen him transform players and get them performing well in different roles to what they're used to, which Poyet alludes to and could be the same with the current squad players.

"He [Conte] probably knows that there are one or two positions that he thinks he needs to improve that only Antonio and the sporting director know," Poyet admitted.

"It'll have to be two or three [incoming players] for sure."

The two players who have perhaps been most heavily linked with a move to north London are Luis Diaz and Adama Traore, although the latter's loan move to Barcelona is set to be confirmed and the likes of Sofyan Amrabat have also been amongst the rumours.

There isn't long until the transfer window closes and if Spurs want to increase their chances of success in the final months of the season, they will want it to be a busy final few days.

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