Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur board are doing all they can do back Antonio Conte this winter.

What's the word?

With the January transfer market now upon us, Spurs are widely tipped to be in the market for some new signings although no deals have been completed yet.

For instance, Sporting Lisbon duo Pedro Porro and Marcus Edwards have both been linked with a move but nothing seems close at this moment in time.

No doubt, manager Conte will be anxious to get a few deals done soon enough and it sounds as though the club fully intend to back him with a new wingback and a forward.

Indeed, when speaking on the Transfer Talk Podcast, Sheth explained: (43:48): “I think Tottenham's board are doing everything they can to back Antonio Conte and I think they want to be busy in this transfer window.

"I think they want to bring in a couple of players. I think they want to bring in a forward and I think they want to bring in a wingback as well.

"I think Antonio Conte wants to strengthen all over the pitch, but I think in those two particular areas, he sees those two areas as not good enough for them to be able to compete for the top four."

Patience required?

Spurs are currently just outside the top four – sitting one place and two points behind Manchester United in fourth despite having played one more game – and so it's easy to see why Conte feels as though a few signings could help bridge the gap.

As mentioned before, Porro and Edwards are two names linked with a possible winter move and they both certainly fit the bill as a wingback and an attacker, which Sheth claims the board are targeting.

For those two players, there are buy-out clauses which can be triggered to get the deals done. And so, if Spurs really are serious about backing their manager, they may have to just bite the bullet and pay the cost.

Of course, though, Daniel Levy and co will be carefully surveying the scene in an attempt to try and scout out the best deal possible this winter and so Conte may well have to be patient.