Owen Hargreaves has named the three Tottenham players he thinks would get into the starting XI at other top six clubs.
Speaking on Premier League Productions after Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Spurs in midweek, the former England midfielder discussed Antonio Conte’s options.
He suggested the reason that the Italian employs cautious tactics in big away games is because he does not have the quality of players available to him.
Hargreaves said only Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero would get into rival sides.
Hargreaves on Tottenham squad
He said: “You could argue Conte is being a realist on some levels. They’ve got some really good players but they probably only have three who get in any other of the big teams. Kane, Son and Romero.
“The rest, nobody else is getting in any of the top teams. I agree, I think Conte needs money to get into that other big bracket.
“This is how he plays, he plays on the counter-attack, but the only reason they’re in the Champions League is because of this guy.
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“When he took over, they were ninth, a mess, a disaster. They might not be the best watch in the league but they are one of the most effective teams in the league.
“They probably need a better squad, better bench, more players. Look at what City, Liverpool and United have. They need Kulusevski. The only thing that is going to keep Conte here is if they invest in him.”
Tottenham fans will no doubt think that some of their other players are better than the options on offer at other elite clubs in the country.
But Conte did not have much with which to alter proceedings at Old Trafford, which was underlined by the lateness of his substitutes.
That said, he could have engineered a gameplan which was more adventurous and put pressure on a United side who are very much a work in progress.