There isn't long until the 2022/23 season begins and all the Premier League teams are preparing their squads for the big campaign ahead. Antonio Conte has welcomed six new arrivals to his Tottenham squad and seen three exits, with more set to come.
All six new signings have made their debut in a Spurs shirt, during the three pre-season friendlies so far. The Italian is now starting to prepare his side for their final game, before the start of the 2022/23 campaign, where they will face Jose Mourinho's Roma.
However, there is still over a month left of the transfer window and plenty of deals could still get over the line. This could include bringing Nicolo Barella to N17.
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Spurs have already welcomed Yves Bissouma to the now central midfield quartet, assuming Harry Winks leaves this summer. Conte will now have the Mali international, as well as Pierre Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Rodrigo Bentancur to choose from, helping with rotation and competition with one another.
This is a strong group to select from, but it hasn't stopped Tottenham being linked with players from across the world. Barella made 35 appearances and 16 goal contributions for Inter Milan last season.
The 25-year-old has previously played under Conte, so would know what to expect from his tough managerial techniques. The midfielder has been praised by the Italian media in the past, highlighting his quality.
"The work of defensive cover, recovery and attacking from deep was too precious. If anything he was taken off due to exhaustion when he was substituted," The Gazzetta explained. "The feeling is that the the team has not emphasized all his attacking qualities. Barella gave more than he received. In any case, protagonist and worthy champion."
Earlier this year, the Italian gave an honest verdict of his dip in form. "Criticism is part of the game as much as compliments, the important thing is to help the team, and when I can’t do that, I get irritable and don’t give my best. I hope we’ve found the right path again now, all of us together," he admitted.
This indicates the maturity of Barella, with his ability and drive to improve, something which is likely to be welcomed by Conte. Tottenham have been linked with the midfielder this summer, who has a market value of up to £102million according to CIES, so would come at a hefty cost to the north London club.
If the 25-year-old was someone Spurs wanted to target, they would face competition from Liverpool, who have also been linked with Barella. If the midfielder did join Jurgen Klopp's squad, it wouldn't be the first time the Reds have signed a Tottenham target.
In January, Spurs were heavily linked with Luis Diaz, but the Colombian opted for a move north instead. Tottenham welcomed Dejan Kulusevski and Bentancur to N17 instead and the former Juventus duo made an immediate impact, so Conte still made his own good signings.
However, if Barella is someone the Spurs boss wants in his squad, he won't want Liverpool swooping in. Only time will tell if Barella is someone the 52-year-old wants at Tottenham but if he is, the north London side will want to fight off the competition to ensure they can get the deal done.
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