‘Conte wants him out’ - Rival PL club employee says Spurs want to sell gem with 'great future'

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte wants right-back Emerson Royal to leave the club and will have already identified a potential replacement, claims Leeds United ambassador Noel Whelan.

The 23-year-old started the Premier League season as Spurs’ first choice right-back, having played the full 90 minutes in 11 of his initial 14 league games with the north London club.

However, in more recent times, the Brazilian has dropped down the pecking order with Conte preferring Matt Doherty, who has started the campaign’s last three games.

As a result, a number of transfer rumours have arisen involving the former Barcelona man. This includes a recent report from Marca, who claim that Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan are interested in the defender ahead of the summer transfer window.

Whelan, who became a Leeds employee last year after a stint as a BBC Radio pundit, has suggested that Emerson’s absence from the starting XI means Conte has his mind made up over who he wants at right-back.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed: “Spurs will be more than willing to let him go.

“It really hasn’t worked out. Tottenham are struggling massively with that wing-back role at the moment, and I think Conte has made up his mind on Royal.

“There needs to be a reshuffle and a change of personnel for Conte to get what he needs to be successful.

“The problem for him right now is that he’s using players that three different managers have brought in.

 “If you can get Royal off the books, then Tottenham will do it. He’s had enough time to prove himself and just hasn’t. Conte wants him out and he will know who he wants to go for. Now he needs to be given that chance.”

Given that the Brazil international has made just 30 appearances for the