Gary Neville has urged Tottenham Hotspur and Antonio Conte to resolve their uncertainty quickly, arguing that the club’s manager has been backed sufficiently in the transfer market.
Speaking after Tottenham’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage in January 2023, Neville said the club and Conte should agree a new contract and restore a clear sense of direction.
Conte’s deal was due to expire at the end of that season, with no agreement yet reached over an extension. The uncertainty had followed a run of inconsistent results, although Spurs remained within three points of the Champions League places and were still competing in Europe and the FA Cup.
Neville rejected suggestions that Tottenham had failed to support the Italian coach, pointing to the club’s spending on players including Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero.
“The idea that Spurs haven’t supported him is wrong. It’s a myth,” Neville said on Sky Sports. He added that Conte and Tottenham should “shake hands” and commit to a two- or three-year deal before getting the club moving forward.
The former Manchester United defender said he could not understand the “dark clouds” surrounding the north London club, given Conte had guided Spurs back into the Champions League and had been allowed to reshape the squad.
Harry Kane’s goal secured the win at Fulham, moving him level with Jimmy Greaves as Tottenham’s record goalscorer. Conte said afterwards that he wanted the England captain to have the chance to win major silverware with Spurs, while Kane insisted the players wanted to repay their manager with victories.
