Football FanCast

Tottenham Hotspur want to sign James Tavernier in the summer transfer window, but a deal could hinge on whether they avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Although De Zerbi got his first win on the board on Saturday, Tottenham remain in grave danger of being relegated to the Championship, with West Ham United scoring a stoppage-time winner to seal a 2-1 victory against Everton.

As such, Spurs are still two points from safety, with just four games left to play, and they will have to make do without Xavi Simons for the remainder of the campaign, after the Dutchman ruptured his ACL.

“We can confirm that Xavi Simons has ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee,” Tottenham said on their official X account.

“The 23-year-old suffered the injury during the second half of our Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

“Xavi will undergo surgery in the coming weeks and, following that, will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team. Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur sends Xavi our love and support – we will be with him every step of the way.”

Simons has two goals and five assists to his name in the Premier League this season, whereas fellow attacking midfielder, AFC Bournemouth star Marcus Tavernier, has found the net on six occasions and set up four goals.

Tottenham eyeing move for Rangers captain James Tavernier

It is not the Bournemouth attacker Tottenham are interested in signing this summer, however, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing they are now planning a shock deal to sign his brother, Rangers star James Tavernier.

The right-back, who has scored a whopping 144 goals since signing for the Gers in 2015, is set to exit Ibrox upon the expiration of his contract in the summer, meaning he will be available on a free transfer.

The 34-year-old has regularly been amongst the goals throughout his time with the Scottish side, and even won the Europa League Golden Boot in the 2021-22 season.

Should Tottenham's nightmare scenario of being relegated transpire, they would be keen on signing the Englishman, and targets have been identified on both sides of De Zerbi's defence.

Liverpool star Andy Robertson is also in Spurs' sights, and an agreement in principle to sign the left-back when his contract expires in the summer, has already been struck.

Until then, De Zerbi's number one priority is to keep the Lilywhites in the Premier League, but there are some tough away trips on the horizon in the coming weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur centre-forward Dominic Solanke had to be substituted in the 40th minute of the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

The England international, who has already missed 33 matches this season for club and country with an ankle injury, came off with a muscular issue.

After the game, Roberto De Zerbi said that it was not a major issue for the former Bournemouth striker, but it remains to be seen if he will be fit enough to feature in the last four games of the season.

Solanke has struggled for form and fitness since his club-record £65m move from the Cherries in the summer of 2024, scoring 12 goals in the Premier League since the start of last season.

In the 2024/25 campaign, the 28-year-old striker only scored nine goals from 10.97 xG across 27 appearances in the top-flight under Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs attacker wants to leave the club this summer

Solanke still has time on his hands to turn his Lilywhites career around and make a success of his spell in North London, as he is still contracted through to the summer of 2030.

He has also had some impressive moments in a Spurs shirt, such as his scorpion kick goal against Manchester City, so not all hope is lost for him.

One player who does not have as much time on his hands to make a success of his Lilywhites career, though, is PSG loanee Randal Kolo Muani.

According to Football Insider, the France international has decided that he wants to leave the club at the end of the season and does not want to explore a permanent move to North London.

The report claims that Tottenham Hotspur will not look to sign Kolo Muani on a permanent basis, as they do not have an option to make the deal permanent, and that a move to Juventus is more likely for the attacker.

De Zerbi should not attempt to change the striker's mind because he has looked like the new Timo Werner for Spurs this season, and has been an even bigger flop than Solanke.

How Randal Kolo Muani compares to Timo Werner's time at Spurs

Werner spent 18 months at Spurs on loan from RB Leipzig and produced three goals and seven assists in 41 appearances in all competitions for the club before they opted against signing him on a permanent basis.

Kolo Muani joined on loan from Paris Saint-Germain last summer and has just as ineffective than the German attacker was during his time on loan in North London.

The France international ranks poorly among his peers at Tottenham in a host of key attacking metrics, as he has only produced one goal and one assist in 26 Premier League appearances.

Kolo Muani has only scored five goals and provided four assists in 37 matches in all competitions for Spurs, which averages at a goal contribution every 4.1 outings.

Oddly enough, the French forward is averaging exactly as many games per goal contribution as Werner did (4.1) during his loan spell, which shows that they have been equally disappointing flops at Spurs.

Kolo Muani's form in the Premier League, in particular, has been frustrating, though, because four of his five goals came in the Champions League, with just one strike in domestic action.

The 27-year-old flop has simply not offered enough at the top end of the pitch for De Zerbi or Spurs to consider a permanent move for his services, which is why he should be allowed to leave at the end of his loan.

Solanke has missed 33 games through injury in the 2025/26 campaign and still scored more Premier League goals (three) than Kolo Muani (one), which shows that the English striker has been far more effective in the top-flight with his limited minutes.

Whilst the £65m signing from Bournemouth still has a long way to go to live up to his price tag with the Lilywhites, Solanke should be given a chance to make a success of his Spurs spell next season. Kolo Muani should not.

Daniel is an experienced football writer and editor, having worked in the football media industry for over a decade.

After voluntarily writing for Fresh Press for two years, helping to build and establish the Read brand, Daniel started a part-time job with Fresh Press that later turned into a full-time writing and editing role, writing for club-specific pages such as Read Norwich, Read Celtic, Read Liverpool, and Read Arsenal.

Daniel spent just shy of a year writing and editing for Liverpool-based website, Anfield Watch, which included conducting and/or transcribing interviews with Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg, former Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, and journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Since the summer of 2021, Daniel has worked for Snack Media (now Valnet) and has been a contributor to Football FanCast, on a freelance and full-time basis, as a writer and editor.

Daniel is a Norwich City fan and season ticket holder. He has been heard on BBC Norfolk and helped DAZN with research for their commentary due to his knowledge of the club, along with being featured in several local papers across the country, including the Coventry Telegraph and the Liverpool Echo, for Norwich-related content.

Daniel's knowledge extends to Scottish football, having covered Celtic and Rangers for several years. He particularly enjoys producing player analysis and producing transfer content.

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Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham Hotspur were hit with a double blow in their battle to avoid a relegation from the Premier League on Saturday.

Not only did West Ham United's last-gasp winner against Everton mean that the Lilywhites remain in the bottom three and have not closed any gap to 17th, but they also lost Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke to injuries.

Both players suffered injury issues in the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, as Solanke came off with a muscular injury in the 40th minute of the game.

After the match, De Zerbi claimed that it was "not a big problem" for the England international, but could not reveal how long the striker will be out of action for.

Xavi, meanwhile, had to be stretchered off the pitch in the second half with a knee injury and Spurs are now sweating on his availability for the rest of this season.

What Roberto De Zerbi has said about Xavi Simons injury for Spurs

Just a week after the Dutchman scored a stunning goal against Brighton & Hove Albion, the £52m signing from RB Leipzig could be facing a spell on the sidelines.

After the match, De Zerbi spoke to the media about the Netherlands international's situation and was unable to give much away because it had only just happened.

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The Italian boss said: “It's a problem with his knee. We will see in the next few days. I would like to know more about Xavi because you know the knee. He felt pain, but now I spoke with him and he feels better than when he got his injury.”

Xavi will have to get scanned to assess the severity of the injury and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to play a part in the last four games of the relegation battle. If the Dutch attacker is ruled out for a period of time, De Zerbi does have a player at his disposal who could slot in as the perfect replacement for him.

The Spurs star who should replace Xavi Simons

The Italian head coach could unleash his own version of Luka Modric, who was a technical wizard for the Lilywhites, by replacing Xavi with a star who is yet to make an appearance this season. James Maddison has been an unused substitute for the past two games after coming back from an ACL injury, and this latest blow could fast track his return to the team. As long as the medical team deem that it is safe enough to do so, De Zerbi should unleash the England international in Xavi's position coming in off the left flank in the 4-2-3-1 formation.

In the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, Maddison proved his quality at the top end of the pitch with a return of nine goals and seven assists in 21 starts for Ange Postecoglou. The former Leicester and Norwich star never had the chance to play under Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor, because of his ACL injury, but he may have returned in time to fire De Zerbi's team to safety. Like Modric, Maddison is a technically brilliant attacking or central midfield player who can be the heartbeat of the team in possession, constantly looking to get on the ball to make things happen at the top end of the pitch. The Croatian star registered 24 assists in 160 games for the club during his time in North London, whilst Maddison has assisted 21 goals in 75 matches for Spurs. Tottenham's English playmaker has the creative quality to be a Modric-esque player for De Zerbi, and his quality in the final third could fire Spurs to the points they need to avoid the drop. No current Spurs midfielder has scored more than four goals or delivered more than five assists, whilst Maddison registered nine goals and seven assists in the division last term, which suggests that the newly-fit star would be a big upgrade on the manager's current options. If the 29-year-old talent is available to start games and play meaningful minutes in the coming weeks, De Zerbi must unleash him as Xavi's replacement.

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Forget Palhinha: The new Bale has been Spurs' best player under De Zerbi

Joao Palhinha saves the day as Spurs secure a first win of 2026 in the Premier League.

Birmingham City have made direct contact with former Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank, with Chris Davies' future at St. Andrews now in doubt.

Pressure mounting on Chris Davies at Birmingham

On the face of it, it has been a solid first season back in the Championship for the Blues, considering they are sat in 10th place, with just one game left to play, but having been promoted alongside sixth-place Wrexham last year, perhaps a play-off push could've been possible.

Form has picked up in recent weeks, with Davies' side winning two games on the spin, but prior to the recent uptick, reporter Alex Dicken was critical of his in-game management.

Dicken said: "I've been accused of being a Davies denier and a Davies defender in the space of the last week, but the selection and the way the first half panned out - plus the fact he didn't change anything until Blues went behind - makes it very hard to defend him.

"He has to accept the criticism that he's had since that game and for the first time in his managerial career he faced questions over his future. We're all aware of what the owners wanted for the club this season and it's plainly obvious that's not going to happen. Inevitably we're going to spend the final four or five weeks of this season talking about Chris Davies' future."

Chris Davies' record as Birmingham City manager

It remains to be seen whether the 41-year-old is able to keep his job, but the board have been looking at potential replacements, with it recently being revealed Frank is among the targets.

There has since been a further development, with a report from Football Insider revealing Birmingham have made a direct approach to Frank about a potential move to St. Andrews.

The Dane, who prefers to use a 4-2-3-1 system, led Brentford to Premier League promotion in 2021, and kept them in the top flight until leaving to join Tottenham Hotspur last summer.

Upon landing the Tottenham job, the 52-year-old, who has 61 Premier League wins to his name, received major plaudits from Jermain Defoe, who said: "I spent a day with him last season, I went to Brentford with Justin Cochrane, who is the coach.

"I spent a day, just to watch training and how they did things there, and it was amazing. I was so impressed. “Unbelievable! Unbelievable man, unbelievable coach. For all the Tottenham fans listening, you’ve got a top manager there."

Of course, things didn't work out in north London, with Frank failing to last a full season at Spurs, but having led Brentford to promotion, he could be an exciting appointment for Birmingham.

Borussia Dortmund and Juventus have been knocked back by a player who's chosen to join Tottenham instead, according to a new report.

Spurs actively pursuing summer signings despite relegation threat

Despite the ongoing threat of relegation with four Premier League games left to play, Roberto De Zerbi and co are taking advantage of some opportunities on the market.

Tottenham are making their summer plans with growing urgency, and the recruitment picture at Spurs is slowly coming into focus.

De Zerbi's side have already moved to secure a verbal agreement with Andy Robertson, the Liverpool legend and Scotland captain who will be a free agent at the end of the season.

The experienced left-back has been lined up as part of a defensive overhaul at Spurs, with personal terms understood to have been agreed in principle ahead of his Anfield departure.

Similarly, the club have also been linked with Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka, submitting a two-year contract proposal to the German international as they look to build a squad capable of competing more convincingly next term, whenever their top-flight status is confirmed (Calciomercato).

More details are also emerging about another key piece of that summer puzzle.

Marcos Senesi rejects Dortmund and Juventus for Tottenham

As per CaughtOffside, Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi has knocked back contract offers from Borussia Dortmund and Juventus as the Argentine prioritises a move to north London.

The 28-year-old is set to become a free agent when his deal at the Vitality Stadium expires, having already confirmed he will not sign fresh terms with the Cherries.

Both the German and Italian clubs registered serious interest and pushed to bring him in, but Senesi is understood to have found their proposals short of what he requires, leaving Tottenham well-placed to capitalise.

Spurs are said to be in 'advanced talks' with Senesi's camp, though the deal has not yet been rubber-stamped despite widespread reports of a verbal agreement.

Industry sources indicate both parties are pushing things forward, with Tottenham keen to get the move over the line — but one significant factor hangs over everything.

If Spurs go down, it changes the picture considerably.

Liverpool have also been credited with interest in Senesi, and reports suggest the Merseysiders have not yet fully ruled themselves out of the running as they look to add defensive cover regardless of whether Ibrahima Konate stays.

If the Lilywhites go down, it gives Arne Slot's side a route back into the battle for Senesi's signature, so Spurs being favourites right now is conditional.

Robertson, Goretzka and Senesi — the groundwork is there. The question is whether Spurs can do enough on the pitch to make any of it count.

And breathe. Tottenham Hotspur's wait for a Premier League win has come to an end, Roberto De Zerbi's men seeing off bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.

December was the last time the Lilywhites had enjoyed that winning feeling, although after a much-improved performance last time out, three points followed this time around at Molineux.

That vital victory didn't come easy, however, with substitute Joao Palhinha scrambling home a winner late on, the visitors making hard work of it up against a team who have already seen their own relegation confirmed.

A win is a win, even if it doesn't move the needle after West Ham United's own triumph against Everton, yet there's still plenty of tweaks for De Zerbi to make if Spurs are to become a truly coherent outfit again.

Kolo Muani experiment needs to end after Wolves

For the third game running, De Zerbi opted to unleash Randal Kolo Muani in something of an unfamiliar right-wing role.

For the third game running, the Frenchman failed to make an impact, this time hooked at the break amid a difficult first-half for Spurs as a whole.

The decision to persist with the on-loan forward - who has still scored just one league goal all season - remains a head-scratching one, having shown little to suggest that he is the answer on that right flank.

Yes, the absence of Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski might've forced De Zerbi's hand, although the experiment can carry on no longer, with Kolo Muani quickly fading after an initial bright start at Molineux.

In those 45 minutes, the 27-year-old did rack up 34 touches, yet failed to offer much in the way of attacking thrust, losing the ball on 12 occasions and failing to register a single key pass or successful cross.

He simply isn't providing any sort of service to those in the centre, nor is he proving a handful in his own right, with a swift return to Paris Saint-Germain set to be on the cards this summer.

The end is in sight for his Spurs stay, and the France international might not be the only one.

Spurs star showed why he was Postecoglou's worst signing

In Kolo Muani's defence, he certainly isn't the only forward to have struggled in the post-Harry Kane era at N17, with the lack of a clinical number nine no doubt a key factor in their longstanding slump at Premier League level.

Indeed, the persistent woes of Dominic Solanke have not helped matters, the club's record signing unable to prove a genuine successor to Kane since his arrival back in 2024.

Signed by Ange Postecoglou, the Englishman has scored just 12 league goals since then, only three of which have come in 2025/26, having been routinely hamstrung by injury across the last two seasons.

Of course, no player wishes to be sidelined, but considering the sizeable fee that Postecoglou and co paid for him, Solanke's injury record just isn't up to par, proving so unreliable at a time when Spurs desperately need him to deliver.

The sight of the 28-year-old hobbling off on Saturday afternoon was symptomatic of just how luckless Tottenham have been of late, although even prior to that, he had hardly made an impact in the De Zerbi tenure thus far.

Against the Old Gold, for instance, the ex-Bournemouth striker recorded only 22 touches and failed to register a single shot, still looking a shadow of the player who hit 19 top-flight goals in his final season on the south coast.

As stated above, it might be unfair to judge him too harshly, considering the striker's injury woes, yet the north Londoners simply aren't getting bang for their buck right now.

With Richarlison, involved in the crucial goal late on, itching for a start in his place, it might fall to the former Everton man to bail De Zerbi's side out of trouble.

The Brazilian has previous for helping his team fight their way to safety back on Merseyside, with that the type of figure Spurs need to rely on heading into the final stretch.

As for Solanke, ahead of a summer that needs to spark something of an overhaul, he could well be coming to the end, with a return of just 12 top-flight goals to date ensuring he must be considered the worst signing of Postecoglou's prior tenure.

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Joao Palhinha’s 82nd-minute tap-in earned Tottenham a first Premier League win of 2026 with a 1-0 victory at Wolves but they remain in the relegation zone.

Spurs looked set for a painful afternoon at Molineux after Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons were forced off due to injury until Roberto De Zerbi watched Palhinha slide in at the back post from a scuffed

Richarlison shot to secure a first league success in 16 matches.

It momentarily took Tottenham out of the bottom three, but a late winner for West Ham has kept the gap to two points with only four games left.

Wolves’ relegation was confirmed on Monday night and a Spurs team desperate not to join them started strongly before Solanke had half-hearted penalty appeals waved away after a slight push by Hugo Bueno.

Randal Kolo Muani was preferred again by De Zerbi despite one league goal all season, but fired well wide in the 12th minute after a mistake by Andre.

Pedro Porro sent an effort wayward soon after which halted Tottenham’s momentum and Wolves forced two corners in quick succession to lift the Molineux crowd.

Solanke blocked a volley by Rodrigo Gomes’ soon after and it sparked the visitors back into life, with Xavi Simons firing wide after good work by Rodrigo Bentancur.

However, the north London club’s injury curse struck again with eight minutes of a drab first half left when Solanke went down and held the back of his left leg.

Solanke was forced off and Yves Bissouma looked set to endure the same fate when he was caught by a strong tackle from Andre, but was able to start the second half.

The same could not be said for Kolo Muani, who was hooked by De Zerbi, and the Italian should have watched Spurs go ahead in the 51st minute.

Porro brilliantly spread play out wide to Xavi, who cut inside but Matt Doherty got back enough to force the Tottenham attacker to blaze over from eight yards.

Minutes later and Xavi was the next away player to suffer an injury at Molineux after a collision with Hugo Bueno.

Xavi immediately dropped to the floor and even though he returned to his feet, he collapsed after a run down the touchline off the pitch and a stretcher was subsequently required.

With West Ham ahead at home to Everton, Spurs were now four points from safety and Antonin Kinsky had to be alert to beat Adam Armstrong to a loose ball before the visitors found a second wind.

A snapshot by Tel was deflected wide and Porro’s resulting corner found Rodrigo Bentancur, but Jose Sa made a flying save with 21 minutes left.

Armstrong headed over next for Wolves and then, as Tottenham’s away support tried to rally their team, the breakthrough followed in the 82nd minute.

Tel won a corner after he chased down a lost cause and Porro’s delivery dropped for Richarlison, who watched his scuffed effort turned in by Palhinha at the back post.

Palhinha charged off into the Spurs fans and news soon filtered through that Everton had equalised at West Ham.

Tottenham were briefly set to go out of the bottom three but celebrations by Wolves fans signalled a late winner at London Stadium and De Zerbi was indebted to Kinsky for a stunning one-handed save from a Joao Gomes free-kick in stoppage time to secure a much-needed three points.

Alasdair Gold heaps praise on Kinsky

Writing in his post match player ratings for Football London, Alasdair Gold gave the Spurs 'keeper nine marks out of ten: "Made a big dash and dive to stop Armstrong getting through after the hour mark

"Was solid with everything he did and then came that huge last-gasp flying save to keep the three points."

The 23 year-old has had a stop start beginning to his Tottenham career, but is now undroppable after the injury to Guglielmo Vicario, and could play a huge part in the run-in.

Spurs travel to Aston Villa next weekend, while West Ham travel to Brentford.

Tottenham have been given an immediate update on playmaker Xavi Simons following what was a very nasty-looking injury against Wolves this afternoon.

Tottenham end long wait for Premier League win after Wolves victory

Roberto De Zerbi's side ended a 15-game top-flight winless run with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at relegated Wolves today, with João Palhinha's close-range finish proving enough to see off a home side that had nothing left to fight for in the league but showed plenty of fight regardless.

The goal came from a set piece — Spurs' best friend in an otherwise tense and scrappy affair.

A corner caused chaos in the Wolves box, Richarlison's effort was kept out, and Palhinha was quickest to react, bundling home from a few yards out.

It was not pretty. It rarely is with Tottenham this season, but in a relegation battle, three points is three points, and these are precious, especially after West Ham's victory over Everton.

The afternoon was not without its shadow, though.

Dominic Solanke pulled up with an apparent hamstring injury in just the 40th minute at Molineux, forcing him off the pitch and bringing Richarlison on as an early replacement.

The 28-year-old, who has managed just three Premier League goals across a stop-start campaign riddled by injury, faces a nervous wait on the severity of his latest problem.

There is also the matter of Simons.

Simons appears to have suffered a very serious knee injury during today's clash, in a blow that could rock both club and country.

The Dutchman went down after a challenge with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno, with something appearing to go badly wrong with Simons' knee.

The playmaker was subsequently stretchered off after trying and failing to play on.

With a full medical assessment still to come, Lorenzo has said that the 22-year-old could miss the summer's World Cup — a tournament that begins on June 11 and for which Simons was expected to be a key figure for the Netherlands.

Lorenzo said the injury looks "really bad", and the "strange" incident means there is a real possibility that Simons could be out for months.

For Tottenham, the timing is devastating.

Simons has been one of their standout creators in a season that has otherwise been one long nightmare.

He has contributed two goals and five assists in 28 Premier League appearances, and his display in last weekend's 2-2 draw with Brighton — in which he scored a screamer and assisted — underlined just how much Spurs depend on him.

De Zerbi's side remain in the bottom three with just four games left.

Losing Simons now, with survival still far from secured, is a blow they can ill afford.

Chelsea are very keen on the idea of appointing a former Tottenham manager to replace Liam Rosenior, according to a new report.

Chelsea set for pivotal next few months

The Blues' season has reached a crossroads.

On one side, Sunday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Leeds United is the one remaining prize in terms of silverware, and the last chance to give a campaign that has fell apart somewhat a semblance of renewed meaning.

On the other, a summer overhaul that will define whether BlueCo's project produces anything coherent in the years ahead.

Liam Rosenior was dismissed on Wednesday.

The end of his three and a half months in charge produced five consecutive Premier League defeats without a single goal — a run not seen at Stamford Bridge since 1912 — and a squad that visibly gave up before the sacking was even announced.

He won 11 of his 23 games in charge and leaves as the fourth permanent manager to be dismissed by BlueCo since their 2022 takeover, the shortest tenure out of any of them.

McFarlane steadies the ship until the summer, and in the meantime Chelsea must identify a new manager.

Andoni Iraola leads the race right now, as per some reports, while Cesc Fàbregas brings emotional appeal, and names ranging from Marco Silva to Julian Nagelsmann have been floated.

However, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato.it, the club have been exploring something altogether more surprising.

Chelsea 'determined' to move for Antonio Conte

Their report, as written by journalist James Auriemma, claims Chelsea are 'determined' to pursue ex-Blues and Spurs boss Antonio Conte.

The 56-year-old is currently managing Napoli, where he won the Serie A title in his first season, but they're currently about to concede the Scudetto to table-topping Inter Milan.

He is also the preferred candidate of the Italian Football Federation for the national team job following the World Cup. His contract runs until June 2027.

Calcio suggest Chelsea are intent on trying to hire Conte, whatever it takes, following a 'crazy' idea from BlueCo.

The history between the two parties is storied.

Conte arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2016 and within a year had produced one of the most remarkable title-winning campaigns the Premier League has ever seen — 30 wins, 93 points, and the second-highest points tally in the competition's history up to that point.

His switch to a 3-4-3 formation mid-season, following a 3-0 loss to Arsenal, sparked a 13-game winning run that left the rest of the division trailing.

He won the FA Cup in his second season, then came the bitter fallout over transfers, public disagreements with the board, and an acrimonious departure in the summer of 2018,

Whether Conte has the appetite to revisit west London with new owners on board — and whether he'd abandon Napoli to do so — is the central question.