Rio Ferdinand delivers honest verdict on Tottenham appointing Antonio Conte

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Rio Ferdinand has told his YouTube channel that Antonio Conte would be very near the top of his list to be the next Tottenham Hotspur manager, and claimed that the Italian is exactly what the current Spurs squad need.

Conte looks set to be named as the successor to Nuno Espirito Santo this week. The Telegraph reports that he has agreed a £20 million deal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It is a major statement from Spurs. Of course, as noted by The Telegraph, they failed to secure a deal for the 52-year-old in the summer.

But with Nuno failing to convince his doubters during his tenure, it appears imperative that Tottenham get it right with the next appointment.

Obviously, there are downsides to turning to Conte. But there is no question that he has enjoyed a huge amount of success as a manager, including a Premier League title.

And Ferdinand believes that he is the right man to turn Tottenham around with the club arguably in decline since the high point of Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure.

“Since the Champions League final, this team hasn’t had any consistency and confidence. They’ve gone backwards massively. They’re a far worse off team,” he told his YouTube channel.

“Is there anyone, if you’re looking in world football, who could come in and change the fortunes of some of these players in this team? Conte would be very high on my list because he’s a disciplinarian, he doesn’t mess about. And he gets people working. And I think this is what this Spurs team need.”

Tottenham appointing Conte is going to be a fascinating move

Tottenham stunned the football world when they swiftly turned to Jose Mourinho after parting with Pochettino.

And this appointment will arguably cause as many shockwaves across football.

It is clear what could happen if Conte and Tottenham prove to be a perfect match. But it is fair to say that he has a lot of work to do.

Spurs look a long way off being anything like title-contenders right now. They certainly have the quality to do a lot better than they currently are.

But, as Ferdinand suggests, if anyone has the track record to suggest that they can help Tottenham take the biggest step, it may well be Conte.