‘Disturbed’ Tottenham boss Conte banned from speaking to Italian media

Antonio Conte has confirmed that Tottenham have banned him from speaking to Italian media after a controversial interview emerged this week.

During the interview, the Italian manager suggested that his Spurs team was “weakened” during the January transfer window. 

Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur joined Tottenham on deadline day from Juventus. They also targeted Adama Traore but the Wolves winger ended up returning to Barcelona.

Rangers beware: Spurs, Juve, Ajax have blown similar Europa leads

Also on deadline day, Dele Alli, Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso left Spurs.

Conte has now provided further context regarding his comments. He explained he feels that Tottenham are weaker “numerically” but “more complete” as a squad.

The ex-Chelsea boss also revealed that Spurs have now asked him to not speak with the Italian press moving forward:

“During the interview after the transfer window, after January ended, they asked me about the club, if I was happy, and I said the club did the best that the club could do,” Conte said (via Football London).

“We lost four players and I said [they are] important players for Tottenham, because these players that we sent away on loan, Tottenham paid a lot of money. When you spend a lot of money, it means we are talking about important players for the club.

“To pay attention to the future because we need players used to playing in this league and in my last interview, I said numerically, when you lost four players, important players for Tottenham, I repeat because they spent a lot of money, and you sign two players.

“If I had 20 players and now I have 18 players numerically, you can be a bit weaker…numerically. Then I said also with Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, as a