---
title: "Tottenham: Antonio Conte ‘really isn’t happy’ with right wing-back options"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-antonio-conte-transfer-rumours/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dominic Lund"
section: "Premier League News"
published: "2023-01-08T17:10:27Z"
modified: "2023-01-08T17:10:27Z"
---

# Tottenham: Antonio Conte ‘really isn’t happy’ with right wing-back options

**[Tottenham Hotspur](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/) manager [Antonio Conte](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/antonio-conte/) ‘really isn’t happy’ with right wing-back trio Djed Spence, Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty, according to [former BBC radio pundit](https://icdb.tv/stats/4247/Noel-Whelan) Noel Whelan.**

### The Lowdown: Uninspiring form

Emerson Royal has featured at right-wing back [14](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/emerson-royal/leistungsdaten/spieler/476344) times in the [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) for Spurs this season, but many fans are clearly growing tired of his performances, [booing](https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1609576934228332544?s=20&t=ge_YevtU-Ve40E5lkmmNSg) him onto the field when he was brought on as a substitute against Aston Villa on New Year’s Day.

However, Conte is not currently blessed with reliable options to replace the Brazilian, with Spence seemingly not at the level required since [arriving](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11675/12653229/djed-spence-tottenham-sign-middlesbrough-defender-in-20m-deal) from Middlesbrough in the summer, appearing for just [five](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/djed-spence/leistungsdaten/spieler/483348) minutes in the league.

Doherty showed some decent signs by [scoring](https://www.sofascore.com/crystal-palace-tottenham-hotspur/hI) against Crystal Palace, but he is now 30, and a more long-term option may be required.

### The Latest: Conte could cull all three

Speaking to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/pundit-suggests-three-tottenham-stars-could-be-binned-after-hotspur-way-reveal-conte-isnt-happy/), Whelan claimed that all three of the aforementioned players could leave Tottenham in the next year, as Conte is not truly convinced by any of his current right-back options.

The 48-year-old former Leeds striker stated: *“The performances in this position just aren’t up to standard.*

*“It’s not just Emerson Royal, it’s all of them. Doherty may have scored against Palace, but his future is still under big question marks.*

*“We’ve said with whoever is playing right wing-back – Conte really isn’t happy.* *I wouldn’t be surprised to see them all leave this year.*

*“It’s always been the question mark, and none of these players have set the right benchmark.* *It’s all over the place.* *It doesn’t surprise me to hear that Royal might be on the way out.*

*“Conte is trying to generate the funds he needs to overhaul what is probably the most fragile area of their squad.”*

[![Tottenham latest updates!](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg)](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-updates-2/)

### The Verdict: Time to go?

Spence clearly has a lot of potential, emerging as a vital player for Nottingham Forest last season as he played [42](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/djed-spence/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/483348) times in their promotion-winning Championship campaign, so Spurs should look to find him a suitable loan move, rather than immediately cutting their losses on the [£20m](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11675/12653229/djed-spence-tottenham-sign-middlesbrough-defender-in-20m-deal) man.

However, Conte should perhaps look at getting the other two players off the wage bill in order to bring in Pedro Porro, who has recently been [linked](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-news/pedro-porro-spurs-transfer-talks-sporting-lisbon/) with the north Londoners.

The Spaniard has all the hallmarks of being a fantastic attacking wing-back, placing in the [99th](https://fbref.com/en/players/27d0a506/Pedro-Porro) percentile for assists per 90 minutes over the past year among positional peers in Europe’s major leagues, averaging 0.41 per game.

With Emerson averaging just [0.1](https://fbref.com/en/stathead/player_comparison.cgi?request=1&sum=0&comp_type=by_type&dom_lg=1&spec_comps=big_5&player_id1=27d0a506&p1yrfrom=2022-2023&player_id2=df8b52a5&p2yrfrom=2022-2023&player_id3=d557d734&p3yrfrom=2022-2023) per match and Doherty [none at all](https://fbref.com/en/stathead/player_comparison.cgi?request=1&sum=0&comp_type=by_type&dom_lg=1&spec_comps=big_5&player_id1=27d0a506&p1yrfrom=2022-2023&player_id2=df8b52a5&p2yrfrom=2022-2023&player_id3=d557d734&p3yrfrom=2022-2023), the contrast between those two and the Sporting Lisbon gem is stark.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”419177″\]