Antonio Conte sends message to fans after undergoing surgery

Antonio Conte has confirmed that the surgery to remove his gallbladder "went well" and that he "can't wait" to return, as the Tottenham head coach prepares for a period of recovery.

Conte underwent the procedure today in Italy after receiving a diagnosis of cholecystitis, which is an inflammation of the gallbladder typically caused by gallstones.

The 53-year-old was diagnosed after experiencing severe abdominal pain while visiting his family in Turin following Tottenham's FA Cup victory over Preston.

In an Instagram message, Conte expressed his gratitude to his followers for their support and confirmed that the surgery went well:

'Thank you for your lovely messages, my surgery has gone well and I’m already feeling better,' Conte wrote. 'Now’s time to recover, I can’t wait to get back on the field with the team.'

Conte will make his way back to London as soon as he can now that he has recovered.

The procedure is common and typically takes place through a keyhole. As a consequence of this, the patient is able to leave the hospital on the same day and resume normal activities within a week or two.

On Tuesday, interim manager Cristian Stellini took over as the players for the Spurs resumed training.

It is anticipated that Stellini will oversee Sunday's Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham.

The Italian will take over for the scheduled media duties on Friday in preparation for the matchup with champion City, which takes place just over a fortnight after Spurs were defeated 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Tottenham face crucial road games against Leicester and City as Conte's team tries to qualify for the Champions League.

Preceding the London derbies against West Ham and Chelsea, Spikes will make a trip to AC Milan for the primary leg of their Bosses Association last-16 tie.

Conte is still contemplating his long-term future in north London after a difficult six months marked by the deaths of his former Juventus teammate Gianluca Vialli, close friend Sinisa Mihajlovic, and former Tottenham fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone.

The Italian's current contract is expected to end at the end of the campaign.

Conte has consistently stated that he is completely committed to Tottenham, despite reports of interest from other teams. The manager will be eager to propel his team into the top four when he returns from surgery.

The fact that Tottenham are three points behind Manchester United and have played one more league game highlights the significance of Tottenham's matchup with the champions on Sunday.