The replacement of Nuno Espirito Santo by Antonio Conte has been greeted with astonishment and approval by most Spurs fans.

Appointing a manager of Conte’s caliber, in his heyday, was a declaration of intent from Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy. After winning a first Seria A title for Inter Milan in 11 years, the Italian’s shares were certainly high.

What may have excited Spurs fans the most is Conte’s infamous nature when it comes to investing in the squad. Make no mistake, he won’t be afraid to run up against the Tottenham hierarchy.

However, the excitement surrounding Conte’s inevitable investment in the team may have taken a dent today. Athletic report that Spurs recorded a pre-tax loss of £ 80.2million in the year ending June 2021.

Levy pointed to the devastating impact of the pandemic to explain the losses. He said: “With no less than three blockages, our operations have been seriously disrupted.”

Although the news may worry fans. But the Spurs president was positive in his statement. He said “building blocks for the future” had been laid in north London.

“The appointments of Fabio and Antonio are a clear demonstration of our intention and our ambition”.

He continued: “We remain relentlessly ambitious and are determined to deliver the honors and make our supporters proud.”

While this may seem like a record for many Spurs fans, there are reasons this time around it may actually be different.

A recent analysis was undertaken for Sportsmail by Kieran Maguire, professor of football finance at the University of Liverpool, revealing how much each Premier League club could spend on transfers before breaking the rules of financial fair play (FFP).

A number of interesting elements have been discovered. The more astute followers of the Lilywhites would have noticed the Spurs at the top of the FFP rankings. but what does that mean?

Surprisingly, the figures suggest Paratici and co could spend up to £ 400million in the next transfer window without breaking FFP rules.

We are all aware that Levy would not sanction such frivolous spending, even if Spurs had this money only for player investment. But, the FFP stats nullify one of Levy’s excuses for not providing Conte with the money he needs to improve this stagnant Spurs side.

Conte himself is not fooled. The 52-year-old made sure that the assurances he received before accepting the Spurs managerial post met his high expectations.

Joining a struggling team mid-season suggests he’s been promised the means to improve the squad as he sees fit in the upcoming transfer windows.

Duncan Castles of the Sunday Times believes Conte already has his eye on the January transfer window. In an iHeart radio podcast, Castles claimed the Spurs boss wanted two new center-backs to fix his team’s lackluster defense.

Calciomercato.it suggests that Conte is considering a meeting with Inter Milan center-back Stefan De Vrij. The Dutchman is seen as the perfect person to defend Spurs. His awareness of his position and his ability to act as the first point guard at the back are traits that would make him a perfect partner for Cristian Romero.

With Inter still looking to collect their debts, the Italian champions are said to be willing to sell the 29-year-old in January (CalcioMercato). But Spurs first face competition from a Newcastle United side looking to spend some of their newly acquired money.

Another player who has been heavily linked with a move to N17 is Dusan Vlahovic. The 21-year-old striker is currently plying his trade at Italian club Fiorentina.

Vlahovic has ten goals and two assists in 13 games so far this Seria A campaign. According to The Sun, he is available this winter if a club pays the reported fee of £ 70million.

Airy presence, linking game and murderous finishes are the strengths of the young Serbian’s game. Vlahovic could easily play with Harry Kane or Heung-Min Son, giving Conte a plethora of attacking options.

While Paratici and Conte are undoubtedly starting to finalize their shopping list for January, a number of other players have been presented as potential targets.

90 minutes claim that AC Milan duo Franck Kessie and Alessio Romagnoli are on Spurs’ radar. Juventus midfielder Dejan Kulusewski has also been linked with a passage to North London. Italy’s connection to Spurs appears to produce an endless list of rumors.

These rumors should appeal to Spurs fans, who will see the upcoming transfer windows as Levy’s last chance to prove he values ​​success on the pitch as much as he does off the pitch.

It would be criminal to have such a accomplished and inspiring manager as Antonio Conte and not provide him with the tools he needs to create a dynasty at the club.

With indisputable room for improvement, FFP leeway, the attraction of world-class facilities and a manager every player wants to play for, January must be a declaration month for Spurs.