Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has spoken about his contract situation at the club in his latest meeting with the press.
The Italian manager’s current contract with the club expires at the end of the current season. He has a clause in his contract that gives him the opportunity to extend it for one more year but has stated that he would like to earn the contract rather than activating the clause.
“My contract expires on June 30. Until that moment, the club has to make the best evaluation,” Conte said at Spurs’ pre-match conference ahead of their meeting with Leeds United on Saturday in the Premier League.
“I think that everything needs to be deserved. For this reason, it’s important to see the rest of the season, what happens, if we are happy with the improvement we are doing.
“On my side, professionally, I have to feel that I deserve to sign a new contract with this club. I have to feel this, but for sure I will talk with the club and we will find the best solution.
“When you start a path with a club, your dream is to stay here many years, to try to build something important.
“I think it’s very important, the relationship that you create with your players, the relationship you create with the club, the environment around you, and also don’t forget the ambition.
“If you’re used to fighting to win, it is also very important to match this situation and then, if you are lucky and find all of these situations, it’s simpler to stay for a long-term project.
“When this happens, you are a lucky person, a lucky man. Every manager dreams of this situation. Then the reality, unfortunately, is not always this.”
His latest comments are a response to a question about the media speculation on his future lying elsewhere. In recent weeks, a return to Italy has been touted with Juventus. Conte dismissed those rumours but they have not gone away.
Throughout his time at Spurs, he has been linked with a move away from the club. First, it was Paris Saint-Germain, where he was even rumoured to have submitted his CV and lobbied his contacts at the club to put in a good word for him. The Parisians ended up going for Christophe Galtier, who has performed well in the role.
Manchester United were also rumoured to be a destination for him, before the Red Devils chose to go with Erik ten Hag who is still adapting to the Premier League but is showing some good signs.
Conte’s future is uncertain, but one thing the fans can count on is the manager’s commitment to seeing them finish in a good position this season.
