Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher doesn't expect instant success for Antonio Conte at Tottenham.
Conte, 52, is close to agreeing a £15.5million-per-year to take the hot seat in North London after the club sacked Nuno Espirito Santo. The deal will reportedly run for 18 months.
Should the Italian takeover at Spurs, it will be his first return to management in England since leaving Chelsea in 2018, having stormed to the league title with the Blues at the first time of asking in 2016-17.
"I would love Conte back in the Premier League," Carragher said ahead of Monday Night Football on Sky Sports.
"I think he was a revelation first time around, he is a brilliant character, his personality, I would love to see him back in the Premier League so I hope it does get done.
"I think a manager is going to need more than 18 months to turn Tottenham around and even though I am a huge admirer of Antonio Conte and how quickly... the success he had with Chelsea and every club he has been to... I think it would be very difficult to replicate that success in 18 months."
Carragher says Conte may need a full three years before Spurs are among the leading contenders for top honours in England, opining that there is 'a lot of work to be done' in North London.
"I think he could need another 18 months on top of that to maybe get Tottenham back, maybe challenging," he added.
"When I say 'get Tottenham back', maybe back to where they were under [Mauricio] Pochettino, where they felt they had a chance of winning trophies and pushing people for the title, Champions League year in, year out.
"I think there is a lot of work to be done so, do I think Conte can turn that around in 18 months? I think it will be difficult for a man of his calibre."
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