SPURS EYE MANCINI IF CONTE WALKS OUT

TOTTENHAM will consider hiring Graham Potter or Roberto Mancini should Antonio Conte quit the club this summer. Conte yesterday dismissed the notion that he might leave Spurs for Paris Saint-Germain as ‘fake news’ and ‘lies’ but still refused to commit his future to the club beyond the end of the season. Mauricio Pochettino has been viewed as the ideal candidate to replace the Italian should he walk away but Sportsmail has learned there is opposition from within the Tottenham hierarchy to the prospect of the Argentine returning to north London. Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Leicester, Conte said: ‘We have a big opportunity to try to get a place in the Champions League. No one imagined we would be fighting for this target. I said it would be a miracle to achieve this. ‘Now it is important to be focused, not listen to fake news and lies. At the end of the season we will speak with the club — with pleasure, in a good way, and try to find the best solution for everybody. I like to have ambition, not only to fight for a place in the Champions League or the Europa League. Honestly, I want to fight for much more and I think I deserve to do this.’ Spurs have long admired the work Potter has done at Brighton and the 46-year-old will be on their radar if they find themselves trying to replace Conte. Italy boss Mancini would also be an option. Spurs’ managing director of football Fabio Paratici — who will be tasked with identifying a replacement for Conte — is understood to be an admirer of the former Manchester City manager. Tottenham’s plan A is for Conte to stay in charge heading into next season and there is a feeling behind the scenes that he will not walk away.