Transfer News: Spurs could have an advantage over rivals in pursuit of 26-year-old PL star

Tottenham Hotspur are said to have an advantage over Manchester United in pursuit of Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips

According to CaughtOffside (h/t Burnley Express), Former Premier League player Luke Chadwick believes that Antonio Conte could help Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United to the signing of Leeds United star midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The North Londoners have been struggling to get the perfect balance of signing young as well as already established stars in the last few seasons. January has seen more outgoing than incoming with Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur the only incoming.

Whereas Dele Alli left the club on a permanent deal to Everton while club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil, and Giovani Lo Celso have all gone out on loan during that period.

Antonio Conte is trying to imprint his brand of attacking football at N-17. The club seems to be going in the right direction under his tutelage but there is still a lot of work to be done as made evident by the scathing 2-3 defeat at the hands of Southampton.

Phillips has been an integral part of Marcelo Bielsa’s system at Leeds. The 26-year-old midfielder has put in some excellent performances ever since the Peacocks have gained promotion to the Premier League.

The former Inter Milan manager likes to play with a three-man defence which leaves room for another midfielder. The 52-year-old manager likes to play on the front foot and that requires players who are willing to press and put in the extra mile on the ground.

Kalvin Phillips and the lure of working under Antonio Conte

Bielsa who is also known as ‘El Loco’ is renowned for his murderball tactics which demand the utmost from each player both physically and mentally. Phillips has thrived in that system and should therefore be a good fit for the kind of football that Conte wants to bring to Tottenham.

The Italian manager is known for revitalizing clubs and has an impressive resume to show for it. He has been adept at getting the best out of his players and the opportunity to develop further under him could be a great asset when it comes to recruiting talented players.

The English professional footballer can provide some great cover at the back but his ball-carrying ability and vision also make him an asset in attack. The Whites have been struggling to put points on the board this season as Phillips hasn’t been available throughout the season coupled with injury issues to other key players.

This goes to highlight the importance of the 26-year-old in the middle of the park for the Whites. The previous window was bittersweet for the North Londoners as they failed to land several of their priority targets. With that in mind, the club will be looking to make a splash in the coming window.

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The club would be looking to bolster its ranks if they are to challenge for the top four spots this season and the next window could be a great opportunity. Only time can tell whether Paratici and the opportunity to play for Antonio Conte can lure Kalvin Phillips to the Lilywhites but the signs seem promising at the moment.