With time ticking and plenty of transfer business left to do, Antonio Conte today resorted to a very different tactic in order to force summer exits.
It has been reported all summer that a total of 9 players have been identified as unwanted by Spurs including Sergio Reguilon, Harry Winks, Giovani Lo Celso, and Tanguy Ndombele who were even left out of the pre-season squad that traveled to South Korea.
Antonio Conte has now gone a step further and according to Evening Standard, ‘banished’ the four players from training forcing them to train separately from the rest of the squad.
Conte’s tactic of isolating footballers from their teammates is a contentious one. Designed to make those players realise the reality of their situation and seek a move, or perhaps shorten the squad they are working with, it also makes any chance of reconciliation extremely unlikely.
Tottenham are attempting to offload the quartet, but according to the report, ‘there is an acceptance’ that their futures are unlikely to be resolved before the transfer window closes for Premier League clubs on September 1.
Tottenham made a strong start to the new Premier League campaign, thrashing Southampton 4-1 in their first game.
On Sunday, they face London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.