Spurs face £10m fee to appoint top-target Potter if Conte goes
Graham Potter is emerging as Tottenham Hotspur’s top target if Antonio Conte leaves at the end of the season – but they would have to pay more than £10million to take him from Brighton.
Telegraph Sport last week reported that Potter and Roberto Mancini were seen as alternative targets to Mauricio Pochettino, who has been linked with a return to Spurs. But Potter is now believed to be the frontrunner to replace Conte if Tottenham are forced to make a change, although the prospect of chairman Daniel Levy turning to fans’ favourite Pochettino cannot be discounted.
Levy was prepared to pay the £15 million in compensation it would have taken to land Potter last summer, but the 46-year-old was keen to remain at Brighton, who are ninth in the Premier League.
The size of that compensation figure is understood to have decreased now that there is one year less remaining on his contract, but Tottenham would still have to pay in excess of £10 million.
Fabio Paratici, the Tottenham managing director, is thought to have been impressed by Potter’s coaching since working in England and, while supporters would no doubt welcome a move to reappoint Pochettino, there are some reservations inside Spurs over whether it would be a good move.
Conte has made it clear that he will decide his future at the end of the season, when he holds talks with Levy and Paratici over the size of the club’s ambition.
The Italian is set to tell the pair he wants six to eight new players, and has confirmed that Spurs will have to spend big in the transfer window to become competitive.
Reports in Spain have linked Tottenham with a move for Brighton left wing-back Marc Cucurella.
With sporting director Dan Ashworth already gone, Brighton are also expected to sell Yves Bissouma this summer.
That could prompt Potter to consider an approach from Tottenham this time around, should Conte part ways with the club.
Conte has been linked with Paris St-germain, with Pochettino expected to leave the French club despite winning the Ligue 1 title.