Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Tottenham 'eyeing fresh Adama Traore bid' as Antonio Conte makes priority clear
ANTONIO CONTE is eyeing up attacking reinforcements this month.
Transfer window will not solve Tottenham's 'situation', Antonio Conte says
Tottenham are reportedly weighing up a fresh bid for Adama Traore and have grand plans in mind for the Wolves man. Antonio Conte is keen to convert the speedy winger into a right wing-back as they seek to add more attacking threat to the squad this January.
Spurs looked rather blunt on Wednesday night as Chelsea cruised to a comfortable 2-0 semi-final first-leg triumph in the Carabao Cup over their London rivals who face a busy month ahead.
Entering his first transfer window since taking up the managerial position at the north London club, Conte admitted there is work to be done following the defeat and revealed it is "not easy" to fix everything via new signings.
However, despite these concerns, the Italian has already set about revamping his squad with a fresh bid for Wolves winger Traore being considered.
According to The Athletic, Spurs are planning to re-enter talks over the speedy Spaniard who came close to joining in the summer, prior to the West Midlanders pulling the plug on a deal.
JUST IN: Thomas Tuchel lauds 3 'outstanding' Chelsea stars after Tottenham win
A new offer this month could see Matt Doherty head the other way to re-join the club he left for Tottenham in 2020, with the Irishman having fallen down the Spurs pecking order.
Following discussions between Conte and managing director Fabio Paratici, the club view Traore as priority signing who would offer some much-needed attacking threat in the final third from down the right.
Tottenham believe Traore can be developed into a threatening right wing-back, with current first-choice Emerson Royal deemed to lack the required quality in an attacking sense.
The 25-year-old has 18 months remaining on his current Wolves deal and, with the player having shown little desire to extend his Molineux stay, could be cashed in on this month before entering the final year of his contract.
DON'T MISS
Arsenal lead Newcastle and Liverpool in Philippe Coutinho hunt due to agent relationship
Man City 'keeping tabs' on Mikel Arteta amid Arsenal contract uncertainty
Juventus ace Dejan Kulusevski 'pushing' for Tottenham and Arsenal transfer interest
Should Tottenham secure a deal and succeed in converting Traore's position, it wouldn't be the first time a player has been transformed under Conte.
During his Chelsea reign, the 52-year-old moulded winger Victor Moses into an attacking right wing-back to suit his preferred 3-5-2 system and it appears the same is planned for Traore.
The Wolves wideman could be the first of a few signings to walk through the Tottenham doors this month with Conte having emphasised the need to drastically improve, though he also admits that deals won't be easy.
"There is a lot of jobs to do, in this moment, it is very difficult to understand which part you take to improve because there is a lot of situations to improve," Conte declared after the Chelsea defeat.
"We need time, and patience. Everyone has to have patience, because Tottenham in the last years the level has dropped a lot and now we have to fight to win every game.
"I started my experience with Tottenham and every game we have fought, and now we struggle to win the game, it wasn't a game you could say it was easy.
"We have to be humble, to understand the situation at the moment and continue to work to improve our players, then we will see.
"It is not simple to say go in the transfer market, in January it won't be easy and now the most important thing is to be focused and work to improve."