One signing short... but Conte will be appeased

BILLED as a do-or-die opportunity to add quality to Antonio Conte's squad, Tottenham's transfer window was in the end more striking for departures than arrivals.

- Dan Kilpatrick

Spurs made two signings - one short of Conte's desired three - in midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur and forward Dejan Kulusevski, both from Juventus, but offloaded four players in a ruthless deadline-day cull.

Winger Bryan Gil and midfielders Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele all departed on loan, while Dele Alli joined Everton in an eleventh-hour deal.

Conte is left with a smaller but more harmonious squad, who should all be settled and fully committed to the head coach's punishing methods.

The club displayed a novel ruthlessness in offloading the quartet, with Dele moving to Goodison Park on an initial free transfer and Ndombele returning to Lyon for a loan fee of just £1.18million, as Spurs prioritised clearing the decks over finances.

For Spurs to loan out Ndombele and Lo Celso, who each cost £55m, and allow Dele to leave permanently rather than try to rediscover his form on a temporary deal was a significant show of faith in Conte, suggesting the club are aware that the Italian is currently their biggest asset.