Loan exits prove Spurs transfer mistakes - Conte

Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte says sending the club's two most expensive players out on loan during the January transfer window shows they made mistakes in the past.

Club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele, who cost £55million in 2019, returned to Lyon on loan while £42m signing Giovani Lo Celso headed to Villarreal for the rest of the season.

Summer signing Bryan Gil, who arrived for £25m, also went to Valencia.

"For sure it was strange to send two on loan and to sell one player in the January transfer window because it means something wrong has happened in the past," he said.

"It means that maybe in the past you have to see what you did and maybe to understand that there were some mistakes in the past.

"Usually you buy players to reinforce your team but if you send away on loan after two or three years it is strange. We have to pay more attention in the future when we go into the market."

Spurs were able to add Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur to their squad, with the pair coming from Juventus.

Conte said both will be in the squad to face Brighton in Saturday's FA Cup fourth round.

"Kulusevski and Bentancur are fit and for this reason they are available (tomorrow) for sure," he said.

"To start the game is not right because they need to work with the team for a period. These two players can help us a lot."