http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40736388
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has questioned Tottenham's ambitions - suggesting Spurs have lower expectations than their Premier League title rivals.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy criticised unsustainable transfer spending and defended his club's lack of signings.
Italian Conte agreed that the market was "very difficult".
But Conte, who led Chelsea to the title last season, added: "If [Spurs] don't win the title, it's not a tragedy.
"If they don't arrive in the Champions League, it's not a tragedy. If they go out in the first round of the Champions League, it's not a tragedy. If they go out after the first game that they play in the Europa League and go down against Gent, it's not a tragedy.
"Maybe for Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and - I don't know - Liverpool, it is a tragedy. You must understand this. You must understand the status of the team.
"Every team has to understand what their ambitions are. If their ambitions are to fight for the title or try to win the Champions League, you must buy expensive players. Otherwise you continue to stay in your level. It's simple."
"My question is this: What are Tottenham's expectations?"
Summer spending: When will Spurs make their move?
More than £850m has been spent by top-flight sides in the transfer window, which ends on 31 August, with accountancy firm Deloitte predicting Premier League sides will surpass the record £1.165bn they spent last summer.
Chelsea have spent about £130m on three players - forward Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid, midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko from Monaco and defender Antonio Rudiger from Roma.
Tottenham, who sold Kyle Walker to Manchester City for £45m, have not made any signings, with Levy saying: "We have a duty to manage the club appropriately."
Tottenham finished second in the Premier league last season behind Chelsea and were knocked out of both the Champions League and Europa League.
Conte also revealed Chelsea "tried to buy" Walker, adding: "I think now every single player is expensive". And he revealed Spurs and England striker Harry Kane would be his first pick if he could sign any forward. Kane has finished as the Premier League's top goalscorer for the past two seasons.
"Tottenham is a really good squad if they are able to keep all the players," Conte said. "For me, Kane, now, is one of the best strikers in the world.
"If I had to buy one striker I would go to Kane. He is a complete striker. He is strong physically, with the ball, without the ball, he fights and he's strong in the air and acrobatic on the right and the left.
"If you go to buy Kane now it would be at least £100m."
Conte says Spurs lack ambition
posted on 27/7/17
comment by sᴉɥƃuǝlפ (U19365)
posted 35 minutes ago
comment by Ledders' knee surgeon - Football Manager Icon. (U20121)
posted 2 hours, 53 minutes ago
comment by Abe Lackmann (U21076)
posted 1 hour, 52 minutes ago
Its reflected in the fanbase as well though. Spurs fans are happier celebrating finishing 2nd place than winning trophies
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Happier to finish 2nd playing good, attacking football as opposed to playing dull, defensive football to limp home in 6th and win a competition I don't want to see Spurs in, yes.
Wanted the FA cup and league cup so wasn't happy about that.
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So you would prefer to finish 2nd and win nothing as opposed to lifting a European trophy.
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Top 4 trophy mate
posted on 27/7/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 27/7/17
Spurs will get relegated
posted on 27/7/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 27/7/17
All Spurs money for a few years will go into the new stadium.
posted on 27/7/17
Give me the Europa League and League Cup over 2nd place any day of the week. No one remembers teams who finished 2nd but they do remember winners.
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I honestly couldn't tell you who won the Europa League or League Cup 2 seasons ago. I know who came 2nd in the league though.
posted on 28/7/17
To be fair, the spurs are newcomers, new challengers. They're steadily growing with belief that they belong with the best and can compete for the title. Not sure if they lack ambition since they already have an excelent team.
posted on 28/7/17
comment by sᴉɥƃuǝlפ (U19365)
posted 20 hours, 47 minutes ago
comment by Ledders' knee surgeon - Football Manager Icon. (U20121)
posted 2 hours, 53 minutes ago
comment by Abe Lackmann (U21076)
posted 1 hour, 52 minutes ago
Its reflected in the fanbase as well though. Spurs fans are happier celebrating finishing 2nd place than winning trophies
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Happier to finish 2nd playing good, attacking football as opposed to playing dull, defensive football to limp home in 6th and win a competition I don't want to see Spurs in, yes.
Wanted the FA cup and league cup so wasn't happy about that.
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So you would prefer to finish 2nd and win nothing as opposed to lifting a European trophy.
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If Spurs are in the Europa league then they've failed to meet the expectations I had for them, whether it's a low league finish or not making it out of the group stages. I don't want to win the Europa legaue because I don't want us to be in it. Not hard to grasp.
posted on 28/7/17
comment by TheSkins (U3865)
posted 15 hours, 20 minutes ago
Give me the Europa League and League Cup over 2nd place any day of the week. No one remembers teams who finished 2nd but they do remember winners.
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I honestly couldn't tell you who won the Europa League or League Cup 2 seasons ago. I know who came 2nd in the league though.
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I could name every PL runner up for the last 20-25 years, take out Sevilla and I'd struggle to name 5 other recent Europa league winners
posted on 28/7/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator