The Korean tour squad is set for Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs formally kick off their preseason tour on Wednesday against Team K League, which means the squad is heading for the Far East to get settled in. Tottenham Hotspur announced the squad that is making the trip, which means we can read between the lines as to who is in Antonio Conte’s plans and who is on exile island waiting to be moved.

Forwards: Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison, Bryan Gil, Lucas Moura, Troy Parrott

Midfielders/Wingbacks: Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Oliver Skipp, Harvey White, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, Emerson Royal, Matt Doherty

Defenders: Cristian Romero, Eric Dier, Ben Davies, Japhet Tanganga, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Charlie Sayers, Davinson Sanchez

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris, Fraser Forster, Brandon Austin, Josh Keeley

The notable additions that stand out are Gil and Sarr, who were both on loan last season. If they’re making this trip, that means Conte wants to see what they can bring to the table before making a decision on their future. The expectation on both is they’ll each get loaned out, but you never know. One might blow Conte away and earn a spot in the squad.

The central defender list is a tad thin, but there’s a reason for that:

Joe Rodon (illness) has missed out, while Clement Lenglet’s recent arrival means he is without the necessary documentation to travel to Korea.

Joe just can’t seem to catch a break, and he’s also been linked away from the club most of the summer. I’d be surprised if he is still at Hotspur Way come September. As for Lenglet, this was reported on when his transfer was completed. There simply wasn’t enough time to get his paperwork taken care of for the trip, so he’ll train in London and almost certainly make the trip to Scotland when Spurs take on Rangers in two weeks.

The rest of the players who stayed home are as follows:

Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks will continue their pre-season preparations at Hotspur Way. Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett have further time off following their international commitments and recent success in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

There’s no surprise that Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Winks, have all been left in London for this. All three are not in Conte’s plans and are actively being shopped by Fabio Paratici. Sergio Reguilon being frozen out may be a slight surprise, but he’s clearly third choice with the arrival of Ivan Perisic and Conte’s clear preference to Ryan Sessengon. Spurs will try to recoup much of the fee they paid for him, but suitors have been few and far between.

Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett are still basking in their glory of the U-19 Euros and are expected to return to the squad in a couple of weeks. Both probably get loans to other clubs though Devine may make a hard push for the senior squad.