Antonio Conte says he needs at least two more transfer windows to transform Tottenham Hotspur into genuine English Premier League (EPL) title challengers.

Spurs have started the season strongly by taking 10 points from a possible 12 following Sunday’s 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest.

Head coach Conte has spoken with the club’s board about further bolstering his squad ahead of Thursday’s deadline following a series of arrivals earlier in the summer.

But the Italian insists he is content to work with the players already at his disposal.

Having been consistent with his selections in the opening four games, Conte accepts he will now discover his side’s true strength as he prepares to rotate.

The rotation is due to having two fixtures a week until the break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which holds from November 20 to December 18.

“I tried to start with the old players because they give me more reality,” said Conte, who faces a London derby at West Ham United on Wednesday evening.

“With the new players, we started to work with them in only one month and a half. And I think at the end my choices were good because we got four good results in the first four games.

“Now when you have to go and play one game every three days, it’s normal to make a rotation, the players to be intelligent to understand that they have to sometimes go on the bench, come in, alternate.

“And this is the period that the club can understand if we are really, really complete in the squad or maybe we could do better.

“If you compare it to last season, we are more complete. But to reach other teams at the top level, we need time, patience and transfer markets, at least two transfer markets to reach the same level.”

Speaking about possible additions this week, he added: “I spoke with the club and told them my opinion, but if we do something or not it’s OK.”

(dpa/NAN)