Tottenham have sent out a real statement of intent to their rivals this summer following their early business in the transfer market. Tending to leave their dealings until late on in the window in previous years, it was always vital for Spurs to strike early and keep Antonio Conte happy ahead of a huge campaign for the team.
Spurs' transfer business has gone down incredibly well with supporters so far having lured Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma to the club. Fabio Paratici still has plenty to do over the coming weeks and all connected with the Lilywhites will be hoping that the bulk of their transfers are done in time for pre-season training.
So what exactly could Conte's dream Tottenham squad look like in 2022/23? football.london takes a look.
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Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris, Fraser Forster, Brandon Austin
One area Paratici has already sorted for Conte ahead of the new term is the goalkeeping department following Forster's free transfer from Southampton. The experienced shot-stopper will provide competition for Hugo Lloris following Pierluigi Gollini's return to Atalanta after his loan spell in N17.
Centre-backs: Cristian Romero, Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier, Gleison Bremer, Alessandro Bastoni, Ben Davies, Japhet Tanganga
A new left-sided centre-back is a priority for the club in the summer market as Ben Davies is the only natural for the position at present. Spurs fans are desperate for Conte to lure Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan but a deal for the Italian international could be quite tricky to pull off as the player is currently happy at the San Siro.
Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta recently told Radio RAI that it is easier to sign a centre-back than a striker and that they probably will be forced to sell someone in the position. That may in fact be Milan Skriniar given talk of a switch to PSG, but Spurs and Conte will have their fingers crossed that Bastoni is the player to be sacrificed if the Nerazzurri need to bring in some money.
It's vital that Spurs do not waste too much time on a move for Bastoni if he isn't going to be allowed to depart and instead swiftly look at other targets to bring in on the left side. As Joe Rodon needs to leave for regular first-team football ahead of the World Cup, a second centre-back addition would be worthwhile although Japhet Tanganga can cover across the backline.
Gleison Bremer would be the ideal incoming after a stunning season for Torino which saw him come out with the Serie A Defender of the Year gong. Inter Milan are keen on the Brazilian's services but Spurs could strike them a blow by moving quickly for the 25-year-old and upgrading their backline in the process.
Wing-backs: Matt Doherty, Djed Spence, Ryan Sessegnon, Ivan Perisic
It's imperative for Tottenham to add some real quality to the wing-back areas this summer given the importance of the position in Conte's team. Perisic, who played in the role for the head coach at Inter Milan, immediately hands Spurs an upgrade on the left, while Djed Spence would be an excellent addition for the future if the Lilywhites can agree on a deal with Middlesbrough.
In terms of departures, Emerson Royal could be heading for the exit door amid talk of a return to Spain after struggling to adapt to playing as a wing-back in Conte's system. On the opposite flank, Sergio Reguilon could also depart to leave Perisic battling it out with Ryan Sessegnon for a starting spot.
Midfielders: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Harvey White
Conte has some real quality options to choose from in midfield now after Bissouma's arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion. The boss really is going to have a selection headache on his hands when it comes to choosing his first-choice pairing but it's not a bad dilemma to have at all.
Having a fifth central midfielder at the club may be wise because of the amount of games coming up and the possibility of injuries arising. As Harry Winks looks to be on his way out, one of Harvey White or Pape Matar Sarr could remain for the first bit of the season rather than heading out on loan.
Attackers: Son Heung-min, Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Lucas Moura, Ben Brereton Diaz
A new attacker is a must for Tottenham this summer as they cannot afford to go without cover for Harry Kane with all the games on the calendar in 2022/23. Whether the club move for another out-and-out striker, a versatile forward or both remains to be seen, however.
Richarlison has been tipped to join Tottenham and the Everton man would give Conte options due to his ability to play out wide and through the middle. As Steven Bergwijn looks set to link up with Ajax because of a lack of opportunities in the capital, Spurs, in an ideal world, need to replace him as well as they cannot leave themselves too short in such a crucial position.
Blackburn ace Ben Brereton Diaz should be a player the club also consider as a striker option after a wonderful season in the Championship. Tottenham would be able to sign him for a reasonable fee and, importantly, he would help the club out in terms of homegrown numbers.
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