Your Tottenham digest on the morning of Thursday, May 12.
Serie A midfielder a priority
Hellas Verona midfielder Antonin Barak has reportedly been made a transfer priority by Tottenham manager Antonio Conte ahead of the summer window. The Spurs midfield has been a weak spot throughout the current campaign and having already signed Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus, Conte wants to add another Serie A ace to his ranks.
According to Sport Witness, Barak is Conte's top target for the upcoming transfer window. Barak is only likely to cost around £17 million too and could prove a wise investment by the club.
Conte's North London Derby claim
Tonight's clash with Arsenal is being billed as one of the biggest matches of the Premier League season with both sides gunning for that final spot in next season's Champions League. But Spurs manager Conte has claimed that the most important factor of the derby is taking three points rather than local bragging rights.
He told his pre-match press conference: "I understand the importance and I understand the rivalry between the two teams, but in the past, when I played other derbies, with Inter or Juventus, I always said that a derby is one game or two games in one season, and a big team has to think that you have to win the derby, not because it's your rival, but because you get three points, and these three points bring you [nearer] to winning something important at the end of the season, not only focused on beating your rival."
Dimitar Berbatov prediction
Former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov says he would like Spurs to come out on top in Thursday night's North London Derby. The Bulgarian also compared the two managers ahead of kick-off and how the competing styles could
"Arsenal play only one way, the Arteta way. The same as [Pep] Guardiola - pass, pass, pass, pass. Waiting for the right space to attack and kill you with goals," he explained. "Conte has his own way, a bit more defensive at times. A bit more direct with [Harry] Kane and Son [Heung-min]. So we're going to watch and of course, I would like to see Spurs win it."
