Antonio Conte believes Tottenham remain a long way away from challenging for the Premier League title despite enjoying a busy transfer window.
The north London club have strengthened their squad significantly since securing a top-four finish on the final day of last season, bringing in the likes of Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic and Clement Lenglet.
Spurs have made a bright start to the new campaign, picking up 11 points from their first five Premier League outings.
Should they avoid defeat against Fulham on Saturday, Conte's men will have gone unbeaten through their first six games of a Premier League season for just the third time, having previously done so in 2004-05 and 2016-17.
However, while Conte claims to be pleased with Spurs' work in the transfer market, he believes his side have much to do to push the country's elite.
"I think that we have to understand that in this transfer window, we did what the club could do," he said on Friday.
"I think that we did good things, but I have to be honest with you because if I see the other squads of the top teams, there is too much distance.
"For this reason, we have to know that we have just started on this process to improve the squad.
"We tried to do it in January with [Rodrigo] Bentancur and [Dejan] Kulusevski and we tried to do that in this window on a numerical and quality aspect.
"But to be competitive and to fight to be a title contender and to try to get a place in the Champions League, you need at least three transfer windows more to improve and to be in the same level as the other clubs.
"I'm sure that we are going in the right way for the capacity of the club at this moment to invest money.
"We have to be realistic to understand that there are clubs who can invest different money and other clubs that can invest normal money. For sure, the path is hard because of this aspect.
"We want to continue to improve. I am happy to have this group of players and the new players are inside the team and inside the dressing room. We did the right things, but we have just started, if someone thinks we have completed the situation, we are very far from this."
Tottenham earned praise for completing several deals in the early stages of the window, but Conte does not believe that will give them an advantage over wealthier rivals.
"If you sign a player £80million or £100m on the last day you have a big advantage, because it means you are signing a top player," he added.
"You can sign players also for free or on loan, and it is a different situation. I want to be very clear on that."
After beating local rivals Arsenal to Champions League qualification last term, Spurs return to Europe's premier club competition when they host Marseille on Wednesday.
Conte claimed Spurs' congested fixture list will represent a crucial test of where they stand, adding: "The season starts now for a club like us playing in the Champions League, because in the Europa League and Europa Conference League you can allow yourself to make big rotations.
"But in the Champions League you have to play a strong team and this is a harder task. This is a good opportunity for me and the club to understand if we miss something."
Jamie McGrath looking for winning end to Aberdeen’s European campaign
Jamie McGrath has targeted a positive finish to Aberdeen’s doomed Europa Conference League campaign as they prepare for the penultimate game against HJK in Finland.
The Dons are third in Group G with two points from four games, with Eintracht Frankfurt and PAOK uncatchable in the top two places.
In October a Bojan Miovski header gave Barry Robson’s side a draw after Bojan Radulovic had put the Finnish champions ahead but McGrath is looking for three points in the return game in freezing Helsinki on Thursday and in their final game against Eintracht Frankfurt at Pittodrie on December 14.
The Republic of Ireland midfielder told RedTV: “Of course you want to finish off the group with two wins if possible.
“I know they are out of season but I’m sure they’ll be fresh and ready to go and it’s going to be a very tricky game.
“We’ve seen what they could bring in our place. So they’re a good side. They have a lot of good players, a good few internationals as well.
“So we’re going to have to be our best to take three points but hopefully we can do that.”
McGrath, who signed from Wigan in the summer, has enjoyed his whole European experience as a Don so far, despite Europa League disappointment earlier in the season when they were knocked out of the qualifiers by BK Hacken, drawing 2-2 in Sweden before losing 3-1 at Pittodrie.
He said: “It has been class to be fair. First game was Hacken away and it was brilliant.
“Obviously disappointed not to go through but the atmosphere at Pittodrie, the first home (European) game, was unbelievable.
“And then the big nights in the group stages, PAOK away and home and Frankfurt away, it was unbelievable the support we brought there, as was the support in Athens, it was phenomenal.
“Those are the nights that live in your memory when you retire, playing in front of big crowds and big European games that’s where you want to be as a player. So we’re very privileged to be able to do that.
“At Frankfurt we went there and went toe-to-toe with them away from home and that gives a great belief, especially for the younger lads.
“We have shown some really good performances but we are disappointed not to be with a chance of qualifying.”
Man Utd set to face Galatasaray in Champions League despite bad weather
Manchester United’s match at Galatasaray is set to go ahead after bad weather throughout the day in Istanbul had put the Champions League clash in doubt.
Relentless rain has been falling in the Turkish city throughout the day and there are concerns over the state of the pitch at Rams Park.
A statement from UEFA said: “We are closely monitoring the weather forecast and at this time the match will go ahead as scheduled.”
United and Galatasaray arrived as planned, beginning their warm-ups as scheduled.
Erik ten Hag’s men go into the match bottom of Group A having lost three of their four games so far in this season’s competition, and without a win away to Galatasaray in their last three visits.
Galatasaray twice came from behind to win 3-2 when the sides met at Old Trafford in October, with Mauro Icardi scoring an 81st-minute winner after United midfielder Casemiro had been sent off.
Bad weather puts Man Utd’s Champions League match at Galatasaray in doubt
Manchester United’s Champions League match at Galatasaray is under threat from bad weather in Istanbul.
Heavy rain has been falling in the city throughout the day and there are concerns over the state of the pitch at Rams Park.
A statement from UEFA said: “We are closely monitoring the weather forecast and at this time the match will go ahead as scheduled.”
United go into the match bottom of Group A having lost three of their four games so far in this season’s competition, and without a win away to Galatasaray in their last three visits.
Galatasaray twice came from behind to win 3-2 when the sides met at Old Trafford in October, with Mauro Icardi scoring an 81st-minute winner after United midfielder Casemiro had been sent off.
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