Report: Tottenham keen on 64-year-old manager who's on the verge of making history, Conte says he's 'great'
Tottenham Hotspur are seemingly beginning the process of looking for a new manager as they draw up a shortlist of potential Antonio Conte replacements, and according to The Athletic, Fabio Paratici is a fan of Luciano Spalletti.
Conte’s future at Spurs has been uncertain for a while now, and with the team’s recent Champions League and FA Cup elimination, it appears increasingly likely that he will leave soon, if not this summer.
Tottenham’s hierarchy has reportedly started to draw up a list of potential replacements, and Paratici, the club’s Sporting Director is said to be a fan of Spalletti.
It’s not difficult to see why Paratici is such a fan of Spalletti.
The 64-year-old is currently in charge of Napoli, where he’s on the verge of making history by winning the club’s first Serie A title since the days of Diego Maradona. He’s also managed several other top Italian clubs, including Roma and Inter Milan.
If Spurs were to hire Spalletti, they would be getting a manager with a proven track record in Italy and a reputation for playing attacking football.
His Napoli team are currently amongst the most entertaining sides in Europe, while Antonio Conte himself is a fan, labelling Spalletti as a ‘great manager’ in the past.
However, there are some potential drawbacks to hiring Spalletti. He’s not particularly experienced outside of Italy, having only managed in Russia and his home country, and that adaptation to the Premier League can be difficult.
Also, while his Napoli team are flying right now, he’s not a consistent winner, having never won a Serie A title before this season.
In any case, it remains to be seen whether Tottenham will pursue Spalletti or any of the other managers reportedly on their shortlist. With the likes of Luis Enrique, Ruben Amorim and Mauricio Pochettino also candidates, the future could be bright in north London.
