ntonio conte has downplayed the meaning of being Tottenham contract and insists there is no rush to determine his long-term future.
The Italian’s current contract expires at the end of the season, but Spurs have the option to extend his contract for another year before then.
Talks about whether the club will tie Conte have been a regular part of his 11-month leadership. Defeats in the early days of his reign, such as that at Turf Moor against Burnley, were often followed by the Spurs boss questioning whether he was the right man for the job.
He has put in a more positive figure of late, helped by his squad’s strong start to the season and they are just one point behind Eredivisie top players Arsenal will enter the North London derby at the Emirates this weekend.
Before Saturday’s game, Conte dismissed “disrespectful” messages linking him to a return to Juventus while stressing how happy he was with his situation at Tottenham.
The Spurs boss sees no need to rush into contract negotiations, stressing that his positive relationship with everyone at the club is more important than a new deal.
Asked about the club’s option to extend his current contract, Conte said: “[For me] there is no contract, there is no option. If the club and the manager want to work together, they will continue to work together. If they don’t want to work together, they’ll finish it.
“The most important thing for me is that I really enjoy working with Tottenham, especially with these players, and the relationship with Daniel. [Levy, chairman] and Fabio [Paratici, managing director] good.
“There is no right time [to decide my future]. It could be tomorrow. It could be the last day of the Premier League season. The most important thing for me and the club is to understand that we want to move forward together, to go in the same direction.
“I said in the past that I didn’t need a new contract to make sure I would stay with a club. For the club it is also a good investment to have a coach like me and my staff. I think that “I will make the best decision at the right time. At the moment I am really happy. I don’t want to push the club about the situation because it is not the right time.
“We have just started the season and we still have a long time to live and understand together, to continue working together.”