‘Weren’t giving Conte what he wants…’ – Ex-BBC man reacts to ‘ruthless' news from Spurs

Any of Tottenham Hotspur’s wing-backs could be in Sergio Reguilon’s position after failing to meet Antonio Conte’s expectations last season, claims ex-BBC pundit Noel Whelan.

Last week Spurs confirmed that the Spain international, alongside Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Winks, had not gone on their pre-season tour to South Korea.

This was followed by Football Insider’s report which claimed that Sevilla are now in advanced talks to sign the 25-year-old on a season-long loan deal.

The former Real Madrid star was rotated with Ryan Sessegnon last season, joining Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal as alternative options on the flanks.

Whelan, a former top flight striker who has worked as a host and pundit for BBC Radio Leeds, has reacted in a chat with Football Insider, believing the Spaniard’s departure could signal things to come for the remaining full-backs at Spurs.

He said:“Reguilon wasn’t that bad – but did any wing-backs really set Conte alight? You’d have to say no.

“That was the one position we knew he would focus on more than anything else after coming in.

“No one could get it right. No one could find the consistency on either flank. Any of them could well have gone because they weren’t giving Conte what he wants.

“He’s not a man who is going to sit there and just accept certain standards. He knows what he wants, he’s been given the finances to make that happen – and he’s identified new options straight away this summer.

“It’s a ruthless business, football.

“You might have been first choice before, and that was the case for Reguilon, but when someone with a different ideology comes in – you can very easily be gotten rid of.”

Conte has already shown that he is not willing to put up with players not