Tottenham 2021/22 season ratings: Son 9, Kane 8, Bentancur 7

Antonio Conte's team clinch Champions League berth on last day of season

GOALKEEPERS: Hugo Lloris - 6. Signed a new contract in January that runs until June 2024. Has a tendency to play his defenders into trouble on occasion but shot-stopping is still elite level. Getty Images

Pierluigi Gollini - 6. Lloris' understudy has performed capably during the cup competitions without giving any real indication he is ready to usurp the club captain any time soon. EPA

DEFENDERS: Matt Doherty - 6. His season was brought to a premature end following an injury against Aston Villa in April. Shame, because he was actually beginning to show the kind of form that prompted Spurs to sign him from Wolves. Getty Images

Sergio Reguilon 6 - Injuries have disrupted the Spanish wing-back's campaign and Ryan Sessegnon's emergence will make for an interesting battle between the two next term. PA

Emerson Royal - 5. The Brazilian can often be found wanting defensively. Too much Serge Aurier and not enough Kieran Trippier. Reuters

Ben Davies - 7. Deployed more often as part of a back three than full-back and the Welshman has excelled. Arguably his best season as a Tottenham player. Getty Images

Cristian Romero - 8. Spurs' best signing of 2021/22. Romero loves the physical challenge and is comfortable enough on the ball to initiate and join in attacks. AFP

Eric Dier - 8. Has finally nailed down his position as a central defender and like Davies, has flourished under Conte's management. Getty Images

Davinson Sanchez - 6. Largely seen as cover for Romero, Davies and Dier. The Colombian has great recovery but that's often called upon because his positional sense is poor. Getty Images

Joe Rodon - 4. The Welshman has found game time hard to come by under both Nuno and Conte this term. Would probably benefit from a loan spell away from the club. Getty Images

Japhet Tanganga - 5. Lacks the cunning of Romero and is guilty of being overly aggressive in games. Ball distribution is not up to the level of his fellow defenders either. AFP

Ryan Sessegnon - 6. Spurs fans are still waiting to see the best of Sessegnon but the former Fulham man has definitely improved on last season's effort. Will be interesting to see if he can really push Sergio Reguilon for the left-sided berth next term. Getty Images

MIDFIELDERS: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg - 7. The Dane does the nuts and bolts of the job well but has looked to join in with attacks more under Conte. Spurs' Mr Dependable. Getty Images

Oliver Skipp - 7. Arguably Spurs' best performer before injury curtailed his season. Shown he has the guile and gumption to perform in the Premier League.

Harry Winks - 4. His ability to cover ground in defensive errors remains impressive but needs to do much more in possession. EPA

Rodrigo Bentancur - 7. The Uruguayan joined in January from Juventus and is already a huge improvement on the man he replaced - Giovani Lo Celso - who was shipped out on loan to Villarreal. Bentancur can look pure silk at times. AFP

Steven Bergwijn - 6. While he is unlikely to be a first-team regular, the Dutch international will forever hold cult status among Tottenham fans for his two injury-time goals against Leicester that turned a 2-1 defeat into a 3-2 win. AP Photo

Lucas Moura - 6. Things just haven't quite clicked for the Brazilian. Few players work harder with the ball but Moura is just as likely to run down a blind alley as carve open a defence. Reuters

Dejan Kulusevski - 8. The Swede has established himself as a fan favourite after hitting the ground running following a loan move from Juventus. Has added an extra attacking dimension to Spurs' play and signed off his campaign with two goals in the 5-0 demolition of Norwich. Getty Images

Son Heung-min - 9. Another prolific season for the South Korean, whose haul of 23 league goals saw him share the Golden Boot with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. Son has arguably become more important to Spurs than Kane. Getty Images

Harry Kane - 8. Struggled for form after seeing a move to Manchester City fall through last summer. Once again formed a productive partnership with Son to finish the season with 17 league goals to fire Spurs to fourth place. Getty Images

MANAGERS: Nuno Espirito Santo 4 - After starting the campaign with a treble of 1-0 wins to top the league, the wheels fell off spectacularly for the Portuguese and a run of four defeats in six games saw him sacked on November 1, 2021. PA

Antonio Conte 8 - Spurs were ninth when the Italian took over in November and then seven points adrift of fourth when they lost to Burnley in February, but 10 wins from their next 14 games saw them overhaul Arsenal, Manchester United and West Ham to claim fourth spot. PA

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to back Antonio Conte in the transfer market this summer as they try to challenge at the top table of English football again.

Spurs booked their return to the Champions League after a 5-0 win at Norwich on the final day of the season, completing an achievement that boss Conte had described as needing a “miracle”.

They were ninth when the Italian took over in November and then seven points adrift of fourth when they lost to Burnley in February, but 10 wins from their next 14 games saw them overhaul Arsenal, Manchester United and West Ham to claim fourth spot.

Conte is due to meet chairman Daniel Levy and managing director of football Fabio Paratici in the coming days to discuss the future.

The 52-year-old has made it clear that his ambitions are much loftier than scrapping for fourth place.

Conte immediately sounded a warning in the aftermath of the Carrow Road success, saying that the club need to understand that additions are vital.

He said: “But it is very important to not forget the path that we had to try to improve the situation because we need to improve the situation, next season for sure, there are five substitutions, another competition and Tottenham must understand this. That it will be very difficult, maybe much more than this season.

“Today is not the right time to speak about this topic. Today is really important to celebrate this big achievement but for sure to become competitive and be ready to fight for something important you need to improve, improve a lot in many aspects and I know only one word, that is work, work, work.

“Everybody has to do the right path in this process. We need to improve a lot. Next season the league will be very difficult for all the teams.

“With five subs you can change a game. If the bench is strong like a top team, like City, Chelsea, United and Liverpool, you need to improve a lot your squad in quality aspect and numerical aspect.

“You have to face in England three national competitions and one in the Champions League.”