Tottenham Hotspur’s summer spree continues. After years of transfer window parsimony, chairman Daniel Levy has loosened the purse strings-all in good time- bringing in a bag-load of talent. Six names had already come through the White Hart Lane gates- Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Clement Leglet (on loan), Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and Djed Spence- but the Lilywhites have found a newfound love for a good transfer. Their recent acquisition is 19-year-old Destiny Udogie.

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The Italian left-back is highly rated, having impressed at Udinese. Signed for an initial £15 million- potentially rising to £20 million in add-ons- Udogie will return to the Serie A club for the season. A strapping lad, the southpaw has all the makings of a Conte wing-back: aggressive on the tackle, forward-thinking, unafraid to take on players and a decent crosser. Across 35 appearances in 2021/22, he tallied five goals and four assists for the Le Zebrettes. He’s still a rough diamond, but one Conte will relish sharpening in the years to come (if he remains at Spurs, that is).

Destiny was tapped based on Antonio Conte’s recommendation. At 19, he fits the club’s profile of buying talented youngsters (which Conte has stamped out to an extent). Straight from the Pape Mata Sarr playbook- the midfielder, signed last season from Metz, was loaned back with immediate effect- the tyro will add more beef to the Tottenham wing-back unit come next season. With Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon in the fray, Udogie’s entry will leave Conte with a troika of options. The same holds on the other flank: Emerson Royale, Matt Doherty and Djed Spence comprise the wing-back triplets.

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But on both sides, expect Conte to cull a few names. Perisic’s advanced years mean he’s a stop-gap option, one drafted to spark Tottenham into a trophy-winning team. Emerson Royale, while solid in defence, is wasteful with his crossing. If he fails to improve on this aspect, the Brazilian will be on the way out. Regardless, there is much excitement at the North London club. A top-four finish last season- spearheaded by the Son and Kane show- paved the way for a squad rebuild. With Conte at the helm, the possibilities remain endless. But with all things Spurs, it’s best to adopt Simeone’s ‘Partido a Partido’ philosophy. Next Sunday lies Chelsea and a first real test of the progress made.