The transfer window never fails to bring up twists and turns and this summer is set to be no different. Tottenham have welcomed four new arrivals so far, with more expected and outgoings still needed.
Antonio Conte will be hoping to go into the 2022/23 season with a strong, cohesive squad, ahead of a hopefully successful campaign. Richarlison is Spurs' latest addition, with the Brazilian's move announced on Friday.
The Lilywhites' first signing of the summer was Ivan Perisic, who is an exciting prospect for Conte's side, with his winning mentality, experience and leadership. This now leaves the Italian with three options at left wing-back.
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Sergio Reguilon and Ryan Sessegnon were battling it out for the spot last season, with the former perhaps getting more chances due to the 22-year-old's injuries. Despite Reguilon not believed to be keen on leaving, it would seem quite likely that the Spaniard would move on this summer, as he didn't make the required impact on a consistent basis.
Sessegnon showed great potential when he was fit and is likely to learn a lot from Perisic next season. However, could the 52-year-old bring in someone else who can play on the left flank? Pervis Estupinan currently plays for Villareal and made 37 appearances last season, in La Liga and the Champions League.
Spurs were reportedly interested in the Ecuador international last year and some rumours have resurfaced this summer. Estupinan has impressed at both club and country level and has become a key part of his national squad.
It may seem less likely that the 24-year-old would now make the move to N17, after Perisic's arrival. However, Estupinan has previously played as a left midfielder and so Conte may feel that one of his options could be to play him further up the field and it could allow the Italian the option to make further rotations.
There are a number of other positions that could do with upgrades and further depth, so the defender may not be a priority, but if he was someone Tottenham looked to bring to north London, a certain Giovani Lo Celso could help. The Argentine made the move to Villareal in January, on a four-month loan, and made 15 La Liga appearances during his temporary spell.
The midfielder was impressive and in April, Conte spoke on Lo Celso's future at Spurs. "First of all I'm really happy for his great performance," the Italian admitted, before Spurs travelled to Villa Park. "He needed to play with regularity, with continuity.
"For this reason he went to Spain in a league he knows very well because he played very well and Tottenham bought him when he played in that league. To go back there and show he's in good form is good for everybody, especially because Tottenham paid a lot of money for him," Conte added.
"I am very happy because he is playing every game, he's showing he's a good player but I never said he's not a good player. I said this league is a very difficult league because it is not enough to have great quality and it's important to play with great intensity and strength."
Lo Celso will also be returning for the pre-season, but the question is, for how long? As the Italian alluded to, the Premier League is a tough league and if the 26-year-old was struggling for regular game time before his loan spell, will he be able to return and slot straight back in? It would seem more likely that the Argentine will be heading out the door this summer, but Spurs will have to see what offers they get for him.
That is something that both parties will need to assess but if Estupinan were to make the move to Tottenham, Conte may hope Lo Celso could play his part in making the deal happen. According to CIES, the defender has a current market value of up to £25.8million, so he would come at a cost.
Only time will tell which other players are welcomed into the Spurs squad and who is moved on permanently this summer. The rumours linking players will continue and Conte will just hope he can go into the 2022/23 campaign with the strongest possible team.
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