One of the long-term internet ITKs (I know, I know) has actually been quite clear in a recent post. Take with salt, but it is, at least, a nice message to read. Nothing earth-shatteringly new.
"Doc, TN, Dele, Rodon, Davinson, Bergwijn are all deemed surplus. There are others we'd accept offers for but they'd have to be above what we consider their value to be. Conte wants 3 in in January, and 3 more in the Summer. It wouldn't be a deal breaker if we only got a couple in now but 6 was what they agreed to be realistic and necessary over the next couple of windows. The priority right now is for a CB that can play left and center, a RWB and an attacking option. I know there will be a plethora of you out there with the opinion that other positions are more important, but Conte would like these first, and it has to be done his way now. As I say things are fluid and if the right player became available in another position we would have course look to bring them in as well.
As I posted yesterday It's always been about being in the right place for the start of next season. This next few months are effectively a huge pre-season where the players are to learn their new roles and ethos of how the manager wants to play. He wants to first be solid defensively, it's his main priority and the hardest part of his system to get across to the players as it's usually a different system to anything they've played before. From what I was told he feels it's for easier for a good AM to slot into any system and find runners, than it is for CB's or WB's to understand how he wants them to play during different phases of play. That's why he wants to get that side of things established and in place first. Like I say, should the right AM become available we'd not turn our noses up but it's not the priority as of right now.
Conte knew exactly what he was getting into when he came in, nothing at all has changed FP has been working on things and I expect us to get at least two and probably the 3 Conte wants this month. I certainly wouldn't rule out more than that if we can get players moved on which again is down to FP now. January as we all know is always difficult but I think FP with all his contacts will find it easier than we've found it in the past."
