Top players ‘would rather sign for Tottenham than Manchester United’, says Jamie O’Hara who says Spurs can catch Liverpool and Man City under Antonio Conte

Jamie O’Hara believes Tottenham are now a bigger pull for new signings than Manchester United, and has tipped Spurs to close to gap to Man City and Liverpool with Antonio Conte at the helm.

Spurs have kicked on after securing fourth spot in the Premier League last term by entering the transfer market with the ambition of a side who are looking upwards.

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The north London club has already signed Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan and Fraser Forster from Southampton, with Yves Bissouma the latest new player through the door from Brighton.

However, Tottenham are far from done yet, with Conte being backed by club chairman Daniel Levy after securing their return to Champions League football.

And, with more signings targeted before the end of the summer, former Spurs midfielder O’Hara believes his old club is now one of English football’s top destinations for players.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, O’Hara said: “Because we got fourth place, because we’ve got Antonio Conte as a manager and because we’ve got Heung-min Son, Harry Kane and other world-class players, players now look at it and would rather sign for Tottenham than Man United.

“You would. The facilities are great, you’re in London so why would you sign for Manchester United right now? You’d rather sign for Tottenham.”

O’Hara then went one step further and suggested Spurs might be able to follow in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, and close the gap to the Premier League’s runaway leaders.

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He said: “I don’t want to jump the gun, but it feels like we’re doing what Jurgen Klopp did at Liverpool when he first came in.

“He rebuilt the team slowly, it took him three or four seasons to build that squad to what it is today. I think Conte can do that at Tottenham, and then over the next two or three years this side could be unbelievable and challenge for something.

“I think he will stay. I think Levy knows he has to back this manager, and if we can build a team which for the next three or four seasons can challenge and get better every season, I think we can get closer to Liverpool and Man City.

“Do I think we can challenge for the title, now? No. We’re nowhere near Liverpool and Man City yet, there’s a long way to go.

“But the business that we’re doing, the signings we’ve made have been really good, exactly what we needed. And we’ve done it early, too – I’ve never seen Spurs do this much business early doors.

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“Tottenham always used to just wait until the last minute, try to get a deal, try to get someone on the cheap at the end of the window and we end up panic buying, spending money and it doesn’t work out.

“But this year we’ve done our business early, before pre-season. Antonio Conte is in charge, Daniel Levy knows he can’t mess him about, so it’s been brilliant.

“I’m excited. It’s the first time I’ve gone into a season like this. There’s no Kane drama, nobody is talking about leaving, the manager is settled.

“I think Spurs have got the best manager they have ever had in the Premier League, by far – better than Mauricio Pochettino, Harry Redknapp, Jose Mourinho – we’re so lucky to have Conte, so we’ve got to keep him happy.

“Give him the players he wants and the backing he needs, and we can do something special.”