TALL TIELE
How Tottenham could line up next season with Champions League football including Youri Tielemans stolen from Arsenal
TOTTENHAM are on the brink of securing a return to the Champions League.
And Antonio Conte’s starting XI could look very different next season as a result.
Spurs need just one point against relegated Norwich on the final day to clinch a top four finish ahead of Arsenal.
Returning to Europe’s elite competition will provide Tottenham with a tasty cash injection.
And it will also be a major attraction in convincing players to come to north London.
Conte is likely to stick to his tried-and-trusted 3-4-3, with top lieutenants retaining their spots.
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Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will captain the side, with Cristian Romero and Eric Dier providing the bedrock of a solid defensive platform.
Ben Davies has been performing well as the third centre-back, but Spurs are likely to move for a new player here.
And top of their list is Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni, who Conte transformed from an unknown youngster into one of Serie A’s best defenders.
Spurs are also likely to have a complete upheaval of their wing-backs, with the futures of Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Palmieri in doubt.
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Inter Milan’s Dutch right-sider Denzel Dumfries is thought to be in Conte’s plans.
And Brighton’s Player of the Season Marc Cucurella, also linked with Man City and Chelsea, is a target too.
In midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur has injected much-needed steel into Tottenham.
But Conte wants a hardy playmaker next to him to slice through opponents and find Spurs’ attackers.
Step forward Belgian star Youri Tielemans, who wants to leave Leicester and had been tipped for a move to Arsenal.
However, Spurs are now reportedly in the driving seat for one of the Premier League’s best technical wizards.
And Tielemans could replicate Cesc Fabregas’ role in Conte’s 2017 title-winning Chelsea side.
As for the front three, Harry Kane will almost certainly continue to be flanked by Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-Min.
But there are other options for Conte should he wish to revert to his Inter Milan formation, which drops a wide forward for a No10 to make a 5-3-2 system.
Midfield playmaker Christian Eriksen has been strongly linked with a return to Tottenham, despite Brentford’s best efforts to keep him, and would be available on a free.
Elsewhere, former Everton star Idrissa Gueye is also in Conte’s thoughts, with the tenacious tackle-machine expected to quit Paris Saint-Germain.
Meanwhile, No10 Paulo Dybala has long been a target for Daniel Levy, and is available on a free from Juventus.
Spurs have several options in defence too, with RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol an alternative to Bastoni.
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At right wing-back, Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey has caught the eye of Conte.
And reports claim Spurs are also monitoring Genoa left-back Andrea Cambiaso.
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