Antonio Conte said chairman Daniel Levy knows his transfer thoughts “very well” as he apologised for “creating disturbance” with an interview he gave to Italian media.

Speaking to Sky Italy this week, Conte said it had been a difficult January transfer window for Tottenham, which had “weakened” the squad numerically.

After missing out on deals for Adama Traore and Luis Diaz, Spurs only brought in Juventus pair Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur on Deadline Day.

On the same day, Conte saw the club’s two most expensive players – Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso – leave on loan, with Dele Alli joining Everton for £40m and Bryan Gil going to Valencia less than six months after his £25m arrival from Sevilla.

Asked to clarify his comments he made in the interview with Sky Italy, he said: “They asked me about the January transfer window and if I was happy, and I said the club did the best that they could do.

“We lost four important players for Tottenham, because these players that we sent away on loan, Tottenham paid a lot of money for. When you pay a lot of money, we’re talking about important players for the club.

“[We need] To pay attention in the future because we need players to be used to playing in this league.

“In my last interview, I said numerically [Spurs are weaker] when you lose four players – and I repeat, important players for Tottenham because they spent a lot of money – and you sign two players.

“If before I had 20-30 players, now I have 18 players and numerically you could be a bit weaker.

“Then I also said about [Dejan] Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, as a squad we are more complete.

“I think I was very clear, but I don’t understand why someone wants to try to create a problem between me. But not also me, but also in the past, because I read the story in the past of this club and [they] create a lot of problems between the coach and the chairman and the club.

“The chairman knows very well my thoughts. It’s not important for me to go to the media and to speak to the media.

“If I have to tell him something, he knows very well that I’ll go and speak with him.

“Sorry, but I think that I created a bit of disturbance and this type of situation, especially because I had an interview with Italian media.

“It means that from now the club don’t want [me to] speak to Italian media because maybe the translation is not so clear with my thoughts.”

Tottenham go to Manchester City on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, looking to avoid a fourth consecutive league defeat.

The losses against Chelsea, Southampton and Wolves have left Spurs seven points off the top four.

Asked if he was happy at the north London club, Conte, whose deal expires in the summer of 2023, responded: “I’m enjoying my time at Tottenham and I’m enjoying working with these players.

“We have four months until the end of the season. We have to try to do our best to finish in the best place possible in this league, and then we’ll see.”

Storm Eunice has forced Spurs’ travel plans to change ahead of the trip to Man City.

Tottenham will have centre-back Eric Dier back after a lengthy absence with a thigh injury.

Oliver Skipp and Japhet Tanganga are still injured while there is a confirmed coronavirus case in the camp